The guy who lives behind me is deaf, and used to be head of the local state-wide deaf organization. I take groups of deaf people climbing local mountains, and go to parties.

Shortly after he moved in, he borrowed a bunch of outdoor plastic chairs to use at a party. I took some over, and didn't take the rest until the party was going strong. There were maybe 25 cars parked around the neighborhood, and a party going on, fer sure!!

Coming upon the house from the back, though, I noticed something strange. No noise!! Not a sound - no band, record, TV, nothing. I had to laugh.

Before trips someone will translate the instructions, or whatever, I give the group. It's at that time I get to see how what I say is translated. ASL is very rich, there is a grammatical structure, and it seems to me there is a lot of information in the way something is presented, too. Hardly anything is presented by spelling.

And, they understand the need for whistles, etc.

There is a pecking order, too. Deaf from birth, deaf after birth, hard of hearing, and so on. My neighbor is one who is adamant that there is a deaf culture, and things like cochlear implants are not OK and designed to eradicate that culture. After having been around them I can see his point. Couldn't before, though, and don't know how much I agree. He does fine.

Arf