Transcript:
Hi. You know that d/Deaf people tend to have humorously embarrassing moments, right? These moments seems to happen just because we’re d/Deaf. Well, I have several very funny stories to share with you.
Looking back, I can remember a time when I was in my 20’s when I had two cats in my house. At that time, I lived in a town where the law required that all animals must be registered or have a license. I knew nothing about this law.
Well, there happened to be one man whose job was to walk around different neighborhoods looking at the windows of houses to see if there might be a cat or dog sitting there. If he saw pets in the windows, he would go up to the doors and knock, introduce himself and ask, “Is your animal registered? Does it have a license? If not, I’ll need to give you this ticket. It’s like a warning. You’ll need to go get your pet registered and licensed.” I knew nothing about this law. This was new to me.
Anyway, this happened around Halloween time. I remember it was in October because I remember having pumpkin seeds cooking then. They’re so delicious. I love pumpkin seeds fresh from the pumpkin. I had recently put them in the oven to bake. I had left the pumpkin seeds to cook when I noticed my 2 cats had jumped from their places on the window sill. that usually meant someone was there at the door. Back then, I didn’t have a flash alert for the door. I was still young and my house was not yet set up as a “Deaf” house.
So anyway, when the cats jumped up, I went over to see if there was someone at the door and sure enough this pet detective guy was there. Not sure who he was, I was dubious at first, but I went ahead and answered the door, and said, “Hello?” and prepared myself to lip-read him. He started to introduce himself and talk, but I couldn’t follow.
“I’m sorry, what?”
He started to repeat himself, but all of the sudden he stopped! Then his eyes got bigger and bigger as he looked strangely at me. I looked back at him rather puzzled, but his eyes were huge! “What’s up?” I wondered. “Why is he looking at me with those big eyes!?”
And then he stuttered, “Are you going to get that?”
I didn’t understand at all. “Get what?” I asked, thinking this guy was really strange.
Then he replied, “Your fire alarm! It’s going off - whee-whee-whee-whee!”
“What?!!!” I shrieked. I looked up and around and suddenly began to smell my pumpkin seeds burning!!! I had forgotten all about them! “Ahhhh!!!” I ran to the kitchen, pulled them out of the oven, grabbed a dishtowel and began flapping it in front of the fire alarm to clear the smoke so it would turn off!!
I felt like that man was my guardian angel that day! If he hadn’t shown up at my door, I might have gone unaware of the smoke all together. Well, I probably would have smelled the smoke in time, but whoooo!!! The fire alarm was just going off wildly - “eee-eee-eee-eee,” but, gee. I’m Deaf. That’s my life!
I have another story and it’s a kicker! It didn’t actually happen to me, but it happened to my co-worker who told me about it. My co-worker, who is Deaf, went to the shopping mall with her hearing friend, who was also an interpreter. While there, the two of them made a bathroom stop.
My Deaf friend went inside one of the stalls to use the toilet. At the time, it was “the time of the month” for her, if you know what I mean. Well, she reached in her purse and got what she needed to do her business. As she finished, she opened the stall door and saw her hearing friend waiting there. And then her hearing friend asked her, “Are you on your period?”
My Deaf friend’s jaw just about hit the floor as she looked at her friend bewildered and wide-eyed! She hesitated for a moment and then suspiciously asked, “How did you know?” My Deaf friend wondered if maybe her hearing friend had looked over the top of her bathroom stall or something! She didn’t remember telling her friend that she was menstruating, so naturally, she wondered how the heck she knew this!
Her hearing friend quickly picked up on her confusion and apologized as she explained, “I heard the RIP!” She was familiar with feminine hygiene products and assumed this is what the RIP was.
My Deaf friend, nodded in relief. But my friend had been VERY shocked as she tried to figure out just how the heck her friend knew that information. That’s embarrassing, but funny!
This last story happened to me. It happened when I was in college attending CSUN (Cal State Univ., Northridge). At that time, I had my own car. It was one of my first cars, and I had been driving it for a while now. It was starting to become old and worn out. Well, it happened one day that my car horn became stuck! It was wailing, “Hooonnnnnnk! But naturally, I had no idea. I’m Deaf as a stone! Sorry. Just can’t hear. Oh well….
Well, I was driving along and came to stop at a red light when another car pulled up along side of me. I was suddenly sensing that I was being looked at. So when I turned to see, I found people in the next car gawking at me. I wondered, “Why are these people looking at me? Weird!” Then I turned to the car on the other side and more people were looking at me with their mouth agape! “What’s up?!”
I had no idea my horn was stuck! I guess it was a messed up fuse or something. But I had no idea.
Soon, I sped up to get away from these gawking onlookers. I drove on until I arrived at my school. I entered the large parking lot and began driving around looking for an open spot to park. Yet, people were still looking strangely at me. “Why is everyone looking me up and down,” I wondered? “These people are looking at me differently than usual. What’s up?!”
I finally found a parking place and drove in. But when I got out, there was another person standing there. He tapped me in urgency and then pointed emphatically to my car with a question on his face! I shrugged, not understanding. Then he began talking at me in exaggerated lip movements while pointing to my car. He was trying to tell me my horn was stuck, but I could not, for the life of me, read the word HORN on his lips! I pointed to my ear and apologized as so many of us Deafies needlessly do. “Can you say that again,” I asked?
I continued to try to lip-read him, but I had no idea what he was saying. Finally getting this, he began to gesture. He pushed an imaginary car horn a couple of times and then made his mouth go, “Blahhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrr!!!”
That’s when I got it! Duh! “Oh! My horn???!!! My horn???!!! It’s stuck?!!”
“Yes! Yes!” The guy nodded!
“Oh no!! What do I do?! What do I do?!” I couldn’t hear it! “What will I do???” I freaked out! I was so embarrassed!!!!
Well, I ended up driving my car to the nearest gas station and told the guy about my horn (which I’m sure he already was quite aware of). He simply reached inside my car and disconnected the horn fuse and the horn apparently stopped.
But I just had no idea this was going on. Ha-Ha! 
Do any of you have silly or embarrassing moments like that, that happened to you just because you are d/Deaf? Come on! Share a few!
Bye (ILY wave)
I had GOOD laughs! I am so happy that you brought them up! Oh my, I have
countless embarrassing but funny Deaf moments! I will try to do in my vlog
soon, but I will need to pick few, not all.
Anyway, thank you soo much for the happy moments you shared!
Left by Deb Ann on January 10th, 2008
Aha! Those were good “embarrassing moments” as a Deaf person. Ironic, too. I have quite a few embarrassing moments.
1. I went on a trip to South America, to Venezuela in 1984 alone, to meet friends there. We went on a trip across Venezuela from Merida to Puerto La Cruz where we were to board a ferry to visit a Caribbean island (Isla De Margarita). The driver, a Venezuelean National, made a stop for me because I desperately needed to go to the bathroom, and he motioned where I could go inside a restroom to relieve myself. I was so happy to finally have a chance go inside a restroom and sit down on a nice, comfortable toilet.
Guess what? Haha, it was a bathroom, but without a toilet, just a hole to…relieve yourself on. My happiness turned into total dismay and disappointment. I had no choice, and squatted, grunting with my eyes rolled up heavenwards.
I walked back to the jeep, and saw the driver laughing hilariously, thinking I was such a naive gringo American. So I was, I guess!
2. I had a hearing friend who was a neighbor, and I was only about 12 years old. I had a hard time reading his lips, so I tended to nod my head all the time in “acknowledging” that I “understood,” when I really didn’t 75% of the time. Once he started giggling at me, pointing at me, and said “You, Johnny? You, Johnny?”
And I started getting curious and asked him to write down this once what he said. He couldn’t help himself and kept giggling as he wrote on the notepad what he just said. I looked at what he wrote, and my face became red all over, blushing in extreme embarrassment. He wrote “I asked you if you eat dog food, and you said yes!”
After that I made sure I really did read lips, or to ask what people really was saying.
Because, I sure don’t eat dog food.
I have many more embarrassing moments, but those are the two embarrassing moments I will never forget.
Left by John Critser on January 10th, 2008
On your 3rd story, you are very lucky that it didn’t blare while you were driving along the Hell’s Angels!
Good story!
Left by Judge on January 10th, 2008
Wow … You look thin and ….great!. Again great stories! I like the last one story the best …
I will share mine in vlog later. Ugh … feel humiliated!.
Left by Diane on January 10th, 2008
LOL!
Yes I agree with you, it is definately an embarrassing moments.
Thanks for cheering me up this morning.
Left by deafKathy on January 10th, 2008
ROFL!! It is so much fun seeing your stories and bursting some chuckles!
Ahh, my embarrassing moments? Yeah, got several of ‘em but it is so embarrasing to share! If I find the courage to share (yes it is really that embarassing) perhaps I wil someday..
signing off with a chuckle
Left by Barb DiGi on January 10th, 2008
That lady with the blaring horn, THAT WAS YOU? I was wondering what the heck!
Funny stories. Yes, the first one happened to us couple months ago. Neighbor informed us that our smoke detector was BEEPING. It must’ve turned on from the steam from shower. It’s time to replace to light flash type! (red faced).
Left by drmzz on January 10th, 2008
Diane,
Thanks for your comment and for noticing the weight loss. 22 lbs. off since Oct. 2nd and still counting!! My goal is to have 25 off by the DeafRead conference on Feb. 2nd. (BIG SMILE)
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 10th, 2008
Judge,
What do Hell’s Angels do if someone’s horn is stuck? I hate to think about it! Eeeek!!
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 10th, 2008
John,
Funny stories you shared. The hole in the ground for a bathroom is common over in places in India, I am told. Maybe over in South America too. Maybe it was just a broken toilet. Who knows, but funny one on you.
Yes, it’s quite common for us deafies to nod without really knowing what people are saying. Then someone calls our bluff and it can be quite embarrassing. But we learn from it.
Thanks for sharing.
PS: Get yourself a BLOG! You always leave wonderfully long comments. You’re soooo ready to have your own space to talk and talk and talk and talk….. (wink)
Hugs my friend.
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 10th, 2008
Barb,
You already shared a wonderfully humorous moment with us when you vlogged your story about the unexpected visiting bat in your room. I’ll never forget how funny that was. I had tears from laughing so hard!!
If you’re ever brave enough to share more, feel free.
Miss you. Going to the conference in Feb.?
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 10th, 2008
Deb Ann and DeafKathy,
Glad my stories cheered you up or made you feel good. It was time to help the posts on DeafRead lighten up a little. Thank you both for being positive commenters. You lift spirits and boost morale. We are kindred spirits! Keep doing what you’re doing. It matters.
Hugs.
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 10th, 2008
Mike,
That must have been one HOT SHOWER for that steam to make smoke and set off the fire alarm! Whooooo!
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 10th, 2008
When my friend and i were children, we were riding in her father’s car when he suddenly became agitated and pulled the car over to park and open the hood. While he was scrambling around in the engine, his wife mouthed at us, motioning a horn blowing gesture: ITS STUCK. Both my friend’s mother and father were holding their ears while trying to figure out what to do.
Not noticing the noise, we were also trying to think what to do. I noticed the horn ring (this was way back in the 1950’s) was slightly off center. I leaned over the front seat and clicked it back into position. Suddently the horn stopped and total silence crashed upon us. WHAT HAPPENED?? WHAT DID YOU DO?? HOW DID YOU DO IT??
I swear, hearing people are more confused by the sudden stoppage of noise than by too much noise. It took many repetitions and pantomiming how I did it before the parents finally understood how the horn became stuck and how it was so easily fixed. I offered to demonstrate what the horn looked like before it was unstuck, but –NO!! NO!! NO!!! DON’T TOUCH IT!! Jeepers, hearing people can be so weird.
Left by Dianrez on January 10th, 2008
Dianrez,
Funny! (I’m also old enough to remember horn rings. Eeek!) Thanks for sharing.
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 10th, 2008
haha, horn being stuck. i had one incident related to horn going off a long time ago when i attended a college. as always, when i parked the car, i put security rod on the steering wheel. it just happened that morning i put it in wrong way (across the horn). so when i locked it on the steering wheel, the horn went off. i didn’t know, got out of car, put backpack on my shoulder, and walked away from it. i didn’t pay attention to people around me.
the campus security had to stop by each classroom at different buildings, asking whose car was it until he found me! it was little bit embarrassing but for the most part i was thankful for being pulled out of boring calculus class because the professor always said, “… huh? …. huh …. huh? … huh … huh? …”
Left by brenster- on January 10th, 2008
LOL! ROFL! You have such a healthy sense of humor about those and other potentially embarrassing stories. SWAK!
Left by Brent on January 10th, 2008
LOL at the horn story….
Left by J.J. on January 10th, 2008
I wish could share with you some of my memorable story but i do not think i am gut enough to tell you and others. Thank for sharing with us!
Left by Mia on January 10th, 2008
I love your stories. I hope to see DAFV (short for “Deaf Americans’s Funniest Videos” someday. LOL.
Left by Jean Boutcher on January 10th, 2008
You are very good at vlogging, clear signing. (I could call this Baerism)
I got one….I overslept at a motel and the following morning the desk clerk or the motel manager tapped my foot to wake me up, when I woke there was she and the maid watching me. I bet the maid might have thought I was dead so she called her manager up to the room. They let me have few minutes to clean myself up and pack.
Left by NightOwl on January 10th, 2008
Alrightie, my embrassing moments are…. I’ll confess there were times i thought i was in a whole group of hearing ppl and i would go up to a person and try speak without signing, oopise, it was a deaf person who signs, i was soo blushed that i spoke to a deaf person instead of signing. i even done only speak to few of my friends who are deaf but i always quickly correct myself and sign. it partly cuz i was just with my hearing family then i have gone to see my friends who are deaf. sometimes i have gotten bad haircuts too. that all i can think of for now…
Left by Rita on January 10th, 2008
This topic should go for broke! Perhaps someone with plenty of time on their hands can go around interviewing deafies regarding their embarassing moments. There has to be thousands of stories for us to share! ‘A great start, LaRonda! Thank you once again.
Thinking back over the years, there is one embarassment that I will *never* forget. I had a new pair of “tennis shoes” (what do they call them now? I forget!) and wore them proudly. They were pink and grey. ( ‘Those were the days when I was working 2 or 3 jobs trying to make ends meet). My self esteem moved up notches when I wore this colorful addition to my wardrobe, and every single time I wore them I got stared at. Me? I thought to myself, “Eat your heart out everybody, these shoes are mine!”
UNTIL one day I wore them to work at school and the Principal came out of her office making faces and told me that my shoes SQUEAKED very loudly!
‘Nuff said. The shoes went into the goodwill bag!
Lantana
Left by Lantana on January 10th, 2008
Hi LaRonda!
LMAO.. I loved your expression when the guy dropped his jaw when you told him that you are Deaf. Ha ha!
Wow.. interesting story about the alarm! I wonder at the end did he bother to ask for pet registration? lol
No way?! It did really happen to you about the horn being stuck? Wow… I can’t imagine if it ever happen to me, I’d freak out with bunch of people looking at me weird! Aww.. I feel for you.. that is soo embarrassed!! I have had my Deaf embarrassing mements! But with horn thing of yours, that was the worse one! Poor you, sweetie! He he
At least, look back you can sit back and laugh, he he
I’m still laughing over the horn thing.. LMAO!
-SG
Left by Seek Geo on January 10th, 2008
LaRonda,
because I watch your signing instead of the captions. Anyway– I have to think about that because I have many stories, but you reminded me of a similar story. One time when my daughter was having her piano lesson and she was only six, I was cleaning the closet. I was also cleaning the oven at the same time. It was a self-cleaning oven. You know how the smoke always comes out at first? The fire alarm started going off and I didn’t hear it because I was in my bedroom closet. The piano teacher had to come and get me out of my closet because she was worried about the fire alarm. She thought it was strange I didn’t hear it. hahaha! It’s so loud!! I can’t even hear it if I stand right under it. 
hahaha!
It really helps the way you transcribe and then I can watch your vlog and I recognize the signs and follow along. It’s almost better than having captions!
Left by kim on January 10th, 2008
Thank you everyone, for reading and for sharing your funny and embarrassing stories. Some of them were way funny! NightOwl was thought for dead! Geeze! I agree with Jean and Lantana. There are probably a million stories out their like this. We should have a Deaf Funny Video space just devoted to this kind of humor - only a deafie would love.
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 10th, 2008
ROFLMAO!!!!! Thanks for the laughter! I have some funny stories to share but I probably do vlog instead of typing..but my question is WHEN will I do vlog? *snickers*
BTW, remember this?
http://fookembug.wordpress.com/2007/06/19/new-medicine-for-bloggersvloggers/
Left by Fookem on January 11th, 2008
Hi Fookem.
Yep! I remember! That was fun!
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on January 11th, 2008
LaRhonda
I am telling you, Almost similiar with your situation. Quiet different than mine
I was in Portland Oregon when I visited my silbings and my mom in Portland. I was ahead to Seattle WA after three days. Funny, I was stopped by ARCO gas station for fill up for gas. I gave key chain with for auto lock and unlock for gas locked. BTW I waited and wait for done the fill gas. Man who were serve and never told me that he heard horn horn for their attention. I could not think of that. Until the owner stepped out of the office. He talked to man who were serve.. The owner knocked on the passenger window .. I looked at him. I was puzzled. The owner say hurt my hear. It is annoyed. I said Ohhh, Geez! the man gave me earlier. he did not tell me about it.. I pushed red button turn off the horn blarrz! More than 10 minutes and sitting and wait for the man serve.
I was embarrassing about unaware of light did flash inside I did not see it during broad day time at 10 am. I wonder why I was clueless to park for fill gas up.
- Deaf Pixie
Left by Deaf Pixie on January 11th, 2008
HAHA! I laughed at the horn story. Thanks for sharing some delights.
Left by todos la vie on January 12th, 2008
OMG….gotta say it….WOW (LOL!!) You just made my day!!!
I had an incident not too long ago. To make a “long” story short:
I was at a gas station, and was leaving - blaring music, and a car was in front of me, he would not move, so I “tapped” the horn, like a “quick, quiet” beep…the guy looked at me in his mirror, with such a MONSTER look!! I was like GROW UP!!! He kept swearing and swearing at me, finally he leaves, and I follow him, he gave me the “birdy”..I was like WHAT???? I turned off the radio to roll down the window to give him some words, but then I realized my HORN was BLARING THE WHOLE TIME - IT GOT STUCK!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn’t even know!!!! I waved at him, he gave me the “birdy”….LOL!
Left by B.A.D. on January 14th, 2008
Sometimes even hearing people can create their own “deaf moments” - as well as some sightless moments. My “hearing” cousin was driving along a long stretch of desert road southeast of Exeter, CA wearing earphones to listen to music because his radio was broken. He noticed after sometime there were police flashing lights in his rear view mirror. When he removed the earphones, he heard the siren. Upon pulling over, the policeman asked him why he had not pulled over when the flashing lights and siren had first come on - “15 miles earlier!!”. My cousin told the officer about the broken radio and the earphones. The officer excused himself, returned to his patrol car, made a radio call to stop the three other cars coming as back up. My cousin got a very large ticket - for speeding as well as other infractions. This was ten years ago, and my cousin has never used earphones in the car again.
Left by Roan on January 16th, 2008
Oh my, the last story about the stuck horn was so funny I was crying and laughing.
There’s been quite some embarrassing Deaf moments, I’ll have to think for the best one to share.
Left by Hana on January 16th, 2008
Hahahaha, you reminded me of someone else.. Ok, I just made my first respond to your vlog.
I thought your embarrassed is awesome!
I am planning to make vlog about myself too..
Keep it up!
- Tar
Left by Tar on January 19th, 2008
“Well, I ended up driving my car to the nearest gas station and told the guy about my horn (which I’m sure he already was quite aware of). “”
LOL LOL
Thanks for the best laugh in ages!!
after reading all this laughing I suddenly realised everyone was looking at me.
Had a permanent grin all day which does worry everybody in work
Left by Fintan on January 24th, 2008
I like reading the embarrassing moments. Maybe I’m the guy who take delight in other people’s embarrassing moments.
olol
I recommand a website for you, I read the embarrassing moments everyday in the website.
http://www.YourEmbarrassingMoments.com
Left by Simpson on September 21st, 2008