Give me a sign

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Give me a sign

Postby Enzo » Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:43 pm

We went to Golden Corral, the buffet, for lunch. Taking up about a third of the restaurant was a group of deaf folks - sorry, hearing impaired folks. They were busy chatting in sign. A large group, they mostly stood in sub groups to chat, I guess that is easier so they can look at each other rather than twisting around in chairs. Interesting to watch all the wigwagging. Towards the end, apparently there were some announcements, as a chair was pulled out and several people took turns climbing up on it to address the group. They held their hands high so they could be heard all over the place.

40 some years ago, I worked with a deaf guy every day, and learned sign, at least enough. Between the alphabet, the signs I knew, and basically charades, we got the work done. That was CHuck. My first day there, "Enzo, go out and have CHuck show you how to set up and check the machines. We had to establish communication from day one. Lots of pointing and gesturing, but I got to where we could carry on a conversation driving around. Rarely had to resort to pen and paper. I may have corrupted CHuck. From our base, we often had to go to the Michigan State Univ campus, our major account. To get there we drove through the MSU farms area. LArge dairy operation, swine and sheep breeding, and vegetables, fruit, and field crops. I found out Chuck was not aware of the "other use" for sheep, as young farm boys might partake. He thought that was hilarious. He further found the idea of "sheep boots" also funny.

Sheep boots are a tongue in cheek thing for those farm boys. A sheep boot is a tall, loose boot. The farmer would drop the hind legs of a sheep into the boots so they couldn't run off, and ...

he also was unaware that a pig has a corkscrew penis.

He developed a sign symbol for the pig: a swirl with the end of your extended index finger. I doubt that was included in the ASL lexicon.

I don't know what became of CHuck, I can't call him. He married the Boss' daughter - also deaf - and when they divorced, he disappeared.

Back to the Golden Corral, I was thinking back and realized I knew no signs any more, and maybe only half the alphabet has stuck. But all the time I think of things I'd like to say but shouldn't, so the wife hears them. I imagines walking up to the group and asking them in sign, "Do you think you could chat a bit more quietly?" The wife looks at me and says, "Asshole."

I don't know about intimacy with sheep, but you know the worst part of screwing a cow?

You have to walk all the way around front to kiss them when you are done.
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Re: Give me a sign

Postby MM_Dandy » Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:01 pm

I wouldn't worry about corruption too much. A friend of mine told me that signers even have regional slang which is...colorful. For example, she said, signers in Wisconsin might say it's cold outside by putting their closed fists in front of them, chest high, and then point forwards. The connotation was 'nipply.'
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Re: Give me a sign

Postby g-one » Tue Jun 19, 2018 12:09 am

That's funny.
Wonder if they have one for 'so cold piss freezes midair' ?
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