Jallen Dragonhide: July 2008

Saturday, July 12, 2008

The Blind, the Deaf and a Poet

I used to fly standby until I got married. My dad is a retired commercial captain pilot.

Years ago, I was taking a trip

I'll never forget the day I got on the plane and found my seat.. the middle seat (the worst kind) between an old man and a young lady.

So, I waved to the old man, and gestured "I'm there.." pointing to my seat. He didn't respond. I waved once again.. no response. Ok.. he's senile or a jerk, so I simply stepped up on the armrest and walked over him to my seat.

"Hmm how rude that guy is" I thought to myself.

Nodded a HI to the lady on my left and buckled in and got settled in.

A few minutes later, after the plane takes off and stuff.. they're bringing drinks down the aisle.. The flight attendant sets down the old man's drink on his table... AND THEN grabs his hand to guide him to the drink location.

D'0h! The guy's BLIND!

OMG how awkward.... What if he talks to me??? He does so.. I just shrug helplessly and wave again... (What a rude young man, he must have thought)

I feel a tap on my left shoulder.. the lady's leaning in and speaking to me...

I had the biggest bemused smile on my face, and laughed,and motioned to my ears indicating I was Deaf. I then pointed to the blind guy and scribbled on a piece of paper:

"I'm Deaf, He's Blind, it's your lucky day!"

Turns out she's a writer of sorts- a poet. And we had a good time the entire flight having a conversation by scribbling in a notepad and passing it back and forth laughing now and then..

The blind guy must have wondered WHAT IN THE WORLD all that silence then laugher going on next to him was all about.