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Whoa, I have spent very little time with others that are even as hoh as myself.
In the Alaskan construction world I am the electrician that can't hear. When I am in a new situation with people I have not worked before which does happen fairly often it is awkward at first. While I am very shy I have to force myself to take these situations head on because they will treat me like I am mentally challenged while I sort out all the clues and sounds that I do hear and lip reading that I do to know what they are saying. Especially with all the noise of the construction site going on. It takes a good day or two to get over the hump and roll with the new speakers. During this time I have had people talk REALLY
loud and roll their eyes like talking to stupid here and others that turn completely away when they talk. Others do things like walk up behind me and test to see what I don''t hear - often I don't catch them often I do and pretend not to notice. I am a big bull male but these guys mistake the smile of the hoh for weakness or stupidity. I do get the nevermind thing and make them tell. I had one new job where the obnoxious boss told me how he was sorry for me. I would like to dribble some of these yahoos like a basketball and give them the old elbow in the gut and short chop to the adam's apple but I don't and I do wade right in there and carve out my hunk of turf. Women are not as bad but often simply discount me as a viable man because I don't hear their talk. They can get into signing but I dont sigh because my life is with hearing people. I look at it as all just part of the life experience and am grateful for the hearing I have. I generally spend huge amounts of time when I am off work entirely alone.
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