Another Deaf Experience: By Eleanor

My friend and I went to Odeon Cinema in Norwich just a few days ago to watch the new Hangover III. We arrived with plenty of time as we wanted to get some food before watching the film. I suggested that we buy the tickets before eating, saves time and there wasn’t much of a queue this early.

 We went up to the young man to purchase the tickets. Unfortunately he was completely unaware of deaf awareness!

 I asked him for two tickets for the subtitled performance of The Hangover III. He looked at his computer for a few seconds until I said ‘I think it’s the quarter to 7 one’. He looked up and then looked again at his computer and said ‘Do you mean the quarter past 7 showing?’ I said, ‘We want the subtitled one, if that’s the one then yes’. He said ‘Ohh, you want the captioned one sorry’ and looked at a piece of paper to check what time it was on. He then said ‘Ah yes 6.45 sorry.’ I handed over my CEA card and he tried to ask me a question, it was really hard to understand him, his lips barely moved and youthful hair growth spurts on his face (or what you might call a beard) made it hard work. He must have noticed me squinting my eyes as if to concentrate so he tried to ask my friend the question as well. I could tell by her face she felt the same as me, so I said ‘Sorry she’s deaf she can’t hear you’. He apologised (constantly, and politely) and did try to repeat it again but I just said all the answers to questions I thought he might be asking for example ‘I don’t mind where we sit, just the two tickets please’. Whether I gave the right answer or whether he gave up, I’m not quite sure! He then said £9 (NOTE: £9 for a single ticket!!) which I repeated to my friend. She handed over the money and he finally gave us the tickets (whilst apologising once again).

Perhaps he didn’t hear me either at the beginning. Perhaps I wasn’t very clear. Maybe just the three of us are all shy, withdrawn people who don’t normally like to ask to repeat things.
 It made me feel better in a way, to know that I shouldn’t feel stupid in situations like that. It is difficult when you’re trying to ask for something but you’re too scared of the responses. I’ve often got my hearing friends to pay for things for me, or order my drinks/food etc because I’m just too scared that I’ll be asked a question that I can’t hear. But why should that stop me? Why should I be ‘babysat’ (even though I’m the oldest of my friends!) because of communication breakdown, not even that, just fear of communication breakdown?

My friend and I then went to Wetherspoon’s to eat. I went up to the bar to order our food (I know, check me out!) which seemed easy enough, in pubs it is almost expected that you might not be able to hear so well and it’s actually rather normal to say ‘WHHAAAT?’
 The food came to the table and the waiter said ‘Two Chicken Melts?’ My friend said ‘Oh that was quick’ (Although I heard it as a ‘No thanks’ so I’m 50% sure the waiter heard the same thing). He said ‘Oh’ and walked away with our food. My friend was mortified, I said not to worry, it’s just food!!

 I got the attention of another waitress and explained the situation and she said ‘oh OK I’ll go grab it for you’ and brought our food out.

All it takes is a little communication, explanation and understanding. I guess you just have to be brave enough to put yourself out there… or I’d still be sat in Wetherspoons starving by now!!