I’m still on the mend from my ankle injury, so although I can actually have gig services take care of my laundry and my groceries, I still need to use a ride share to get from one place to the next.
Yesterday, I had a unique experience while ride sharing.
And by “unique,” I mean that it went … well … you’ll see.
I signaled for my Uber driver, and three minutes later, she pulled up in front of my house. Nice clean car, looks like it’ll be a smooth ride.
She gets out of the car, helps me get myself and my crutches in the back seat – and it’s only then that I notice the printed note on the car’s headrest.
“Hi, I am your Uber driver. I am deaf.”
Okay, Chuck … you know what to do.
As she drove me to downtown Albany, I quickly pulled out my BlackBerry and looked up a few things.
Okay, I can do that. Sure, I can do that too. Gotta practice this … okay, don’t practice it in front of the driver, it has to be a surprise.
A few minutes, later, I’m in downtown Albany. Destination reached.
And as she looked in the back seat to wish me goodbye …
I carefully used the American Sign Language videos I watched during the trip, and said to her, “Thank you, have a nice day” in ASL.
That definitely put a smile on her face.
Understand me. I’m not conversant in many foreign languages – heck, I can barely make my way through English – but I have learned a few foreign greetings as necessary. Ni hao when I order Chinese food. Guter daag, wie bischt du? when I’m at the Amish food stand. As-Salam-u-Alaikum, when you greet a man of the Islam faith. It’s not anything major or me, I just try to learn a few words in each language so that when I greet someone, it immediately starts the conversation off with peace.
So now I can say “thank you” and “have a nice day” in American Sign Language.
Just in case that need ever comes up again. Right?
Chuck The Writer 
Very thoughtful of u. Not many people do that.
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Are you sure she was deaf and that she didn’t just put the sign there so she wouldn’t have to listen to you drone on about your ankle and your high school days and your record albums?
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Quick thinking, and very considerate.
Stirred some memories from my yoot…and as some old timers here may also remember –
Over half a century ago there was a Venetian blind store in the Albany area.
Written below the store name on the side of the company’s panel truck was the statement:
“This truck is driven by a blind man.”
(The company name escapes me, but the catch phrase obviously stuck.)
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