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Editor's note - the Story series will be published on Wednesdays unless that is too close to the date of a holiday.
Because I was attending a college with excellent resources for deaf students 800 miles away, I fly often. I have been flying since I was just few months old in my mother's womb, so I knew the whole drill.
Buy a ticket, find the correct gate, introduce yourself to the personnel as a deaf traveler so they can tell you when it's your turn to go in, wait until they tell you, go into the plane, find your seat, stow your stuff, sit down, put your seat belt on, pick up a magazine, get some gum out (helps with the pressure in my ears), and wait for the flight attendants to do their choregraphed demonstrations.
This time was different. I got a seat by the wing exit door and an attendant came over to where I was sitting. She started talking to everyone who was on my "row" about the emergency procedures and I couldn't believe how I actually understood every single word she was saying.
After she was finished with her instructions on how to operate the emergency exit doors, she asked if everyone understood. I nodded at her and she caught that. She looked straight at me and said to me, "I need you to verbalize that you understand."
Busted. I grinned at her and quickly thought over on how to say something without giving myself away. The word "understand" was too long. No. "No problem", again too long. Ahh! A small word that I can manage. Three letters long, perfect.
I said, "Yes" as clearly as I could. She went, "Ah, you are deaf. Come with me" and she swapped my seat with another closer to the front of the plane. Smart lady. ;)
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Here is a surprise video below...
We just signed "Happy Thanksgiving (to) You". Yes, that's me (remember my fave shirt? LOL)...and I originally set out to do this solo but my younger daughter WANTED to do this with me. Fine with me! ;)
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7 comments:
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, too!
Not that you weren't capable of opening the door, etc. but I guess you wouldn't hear the announcements should there have been an emergency, is that the reason for the move?
Love the video of you and your little girl signing Happy Thanksgiving...it was so fast!
I give the flight attendant alot of credit for being so direct with you. Does that happen often? I would think not, but then again, I know nothing of the etiquette involved in these situations.
So you weren't pissed you got moved? I would've sued for some sort of discrimination. Bought the airlines and put her on the graveyard shift. No, I'm not a bitter person. Why do you ask?
Love the video.
Happy thanksgiving to everyone!
Nitebyrd - I would think that's the case.
Sandra - I was on a flight to a city where the deaf to hearing ratio is the highest in the USA. An average ratio is 1 to 100, but the city has 1 to 10. The flight attendant was savvy to that. :)
Copyboy - I got a better seat instead of the one with the wing blocking my view. ;) It wasn't discrimination...it was safety issue. Suppose the plane is filled with the smoke...can you tell me from afar what to do? Nope. Your last statement made me laugh. LOL
ADSL - enjoy your turkey. No, I don't mean your hubby. ;)
okay... that video freaking rocked!!!
Shelle - I know! The mere fact that my daughter wanted to be part of this...upped the rock factor. :)
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