ASL at Walmart

Bottesini

Bottesini

Old Deaf Ranter
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Today I went shopping at Walmart and found new reason to like the store besides low prices.

I always dread the checkout to understand and be understood.

Today as we went forward the cashier began to sign to me. I was astounded as this never happened before. The whole transaction was in sign and I was remarkably unstressed.

At home I asked my husband why he thought that happened, and he pointed out I was wearing a new fall shirt my daughter gave me that states "Deaf Girls Rule."

Maybe I will always wear it for shopping trips and try to find the same cashier.

Me- About to embrace ASL.:)
 
That is awesome. That is what I did when I worked in the hospital building dealing with patients face to face. I spoke in ASL the best I could. now I just talk on the phone which I hate lol. I miss the face to face interaction
 
Celticty said:
That is awesome. That is what I did when I worked in the hospital building dealing with patients face to face. I spoke in ASL the best I could. now I just talk on the phone which I hate lol. I miss the face to face interaction
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It was great. It made my life so easy for those few minutes. Yay.
 
WOOT +100 for the cashier!
 
Bottesini said:
Today I went shopping at Walmart and found new reason to like the store besides low prices.

I always dread the checkout to understand and be understood.

Today as we went forward the cashier began to sign to me. I was astounded as this never happened before. The whole transaction was in sign and I was remarkably unstressed.

At home I asked my husband why he thought that happened, and he pointed out I was wearing a new fall shirt my daughter gave me that states "Deaf Girls Rule."

Maybe I will always wear it for shopping trips and try to find the same cashier.

Me- About to embrace ASL.:)
Click to expand...

You have a shirt that says, "Deaf Girls Rule"??? Where'd your daughter get that?
 
I did something like that when I worked at a local video rental store years ago.

I was at the front checking out movies for customers. One guy came up with his head down. He put his movies, his membership card, his drivers license, and his cash on the counter without even looking at me. Everyone in the store were alert and looking around at everything around them cuz there was a lot of noise in the store... except this guy.

I said, "Hello, find everything alright?" He didn't bother to look up. I then noticed his hearing aid.

When I finished scanning all his movies, I tapped the counter in front of his face to get him to look at me... then I signed the total cost. He eyes opened wide in excitement. He then signed back... "You're deaf!? You work here? Wow!" He actually walked out like one of the happiest customers I've ever seen.

From that point on, whenever he went to the store... he would immediately look for me. One night, he came in with his wife. He dragged her all over the store looking for me... then introduced me. "Hey, this is the deaf guy I was telling you about. He works here!" "This is my wife. She's deaf."
 
That's awesome, Botts. It definitely makes things a little bit easier when someone else is speaking (or signing in this case) in your language.

I used to work as a clerk in the paternity/divorce division at the court house few years ago. Well, There was a deaf couple that had came in and they wanted to file a paternity suit which was ordered by the court. They at first was trying to request the forms with the original clerk but due to the miscommunication, they and the clerk were getting into an escalation. So, my supervisor called me out to go down to the floor to reason with them.

When I went down to the floor to talk to the deaf couple to reason with them. The deaf couple continue to argue among each other and I had retrieved the file from the original clerk, then I watched them argue for a few minutes. At that point, I decided to interrupt their conversation and signed "Hello, How may I help you?" Both of their jaws dropped and they were dumbfounded. They stopped arguing and I proceeded to work with them to amend a paternity suit. In the end, both of them forgot what they were arguing about, Heh!

It was a good feeling to know that it made things a little bit easier for others as well. :)
 
i get that feelings seldom at my work. They was like, [gasp] "you're Deaf?! WOW!" it made them feel so easier than dealing with hearies. i totally understood how they feel and been through. I guess it is really blessing to give to them.
 
VamPyroX said:
I did something like that when I worked at a local video rental store years ago.

I was at the front checking out movies for customers. One guy came up with his head down. He put his movies, his membership card, his drivers license, and his cash on the counter without even looking at me. Everyone in the store were alert and looking around at everything around them cuz there was a lot of noise in the store... except this guy.

I said, "Hello, find everything alright?" He didn't bother to look up. I then noticed his hearing aid.

When I finished scanning all his movies, I tapped the counter in front of his face to get him to look at me... then I signed the total cost. He eyes opened wide in excitement. He then signed back... "You're deaf!? You work here? Wow!" He actually walked out like one of the happiest customers I've ever seen.

From that point on, whenever he went to the store... he would immediately look for me. One night, he came in with his wife. He dragged her all over the store looking for me... then introduced me. "Hey, this is the deaf guy I was telling you about. He works here!" "This is my wife. She's deaf."
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I think that was about my reaction. I was very surprised and happy. My husband said I should try to find out if on the website for the local Walmart, I could find a way to commend him to his supervisors. Right now I am not even sure of his name. It is not on the receipt.
 
Jolie77 said:
That's awesome, Botts. It definitely makes things a little bit easier when someone else is speaking (or signing in this case) in your language.

I used to work as a clerk in the paternity/divorce division at the court house few years ago. Well, There was a deaf couple that had came in and they wanted to file a paternity suit which was ordered by the court. They at first was trying to request the forms with the original clerk but due to the miscommunication, they and the clerk were getting into an escalation. So, my supervisor called me out to go down to the floor to reason with them.

When I went down to the floor to talk to the deaf couple to reason with them. The deaf couple continue to argue among each other and I had retrieved the file from the original clerk, then I watched them argue for a few minutes. At that point, I decided to interrupt their conversation and signed "Hello, How may I help you?" Both of their jaws dropped and they were dumbfounded. They stopped arguing and I proceeded to work with them to amend a paternity suit. In the end, both of them forgot what they were arguing about, Heh!

It was a good feeling to know that it made things a little bit easier for others as well. :)
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It made my day wonderful. I am not a gifted signer, but it was so much easier than my usual experience that I am still happy.:)
 
NorCal20 said:
i get that feelings seldom at my work. They was like, [gasp] "you're Deaf?! WOW!" it made them feel so easier than dealing with hearies. i totally understood how they feel and been through. I guess it is really blessing to give to them.
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I think you are right.
 
Although I don't shop at WalMart as a matter of principle but I am glad you had that experience, Botti. Hopefully you will eventually find out that person's work schedule so you can do your shopping when he/she's on.
 
Tousi said:
Although I don't shop at WalMart as a matter of principle but I am glad you had that experience, Botti. Hopefully you will eventually find out that person's work schedule so you can do your shopping when he/she's on.
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I do intend to do that about the cashier.

I do apologize for being a Walmart shopper, but I am one of the people with an income level where every penny really does count.

We use our local grocery as much as possible also.
 
yes i have encounter of some people- hearing people who have connection with deaf like relatives nor family i was shocked and happy and of course i did encounter some deaf people in workplace when i shop fortunely i made some friend out of some of them
 
Bottesini said:
I think that was about my reaction. I was very surprised and happy. My husband said I should try to find out if on the website for the local Walmart, I could find a way to commend him to his supervisors. Right now I am not even sure of his name. It is not on the receipt.
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There should be a "letter to the president" mailer or one for the store manager at the service desk. As for the cashiers name, you don't really need it if you have the receipt. You can just include the OP# (that is the number each cashier is assigned) and they can trace that number to the person. Letter to the president mailers are usually forwarded to the individual store. Or, you can try here:
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. - Contact Us
If the link works, it takes you to the "contact" us page. If not, from the home page you can choose the contact us link in the upper right corner.
 
etalton said:
There should be a "letter to the president" mailer or one for the store manager at the service desk. As for the cashiers name, you don't really need it if you have the receipt. You can just include the OP# (that is the number each cashier is assigned) and they can trace that number to the person. Letter to the president mailers are usually forwarded to the individual store. Or, you can try here:
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. - Contact Us
If the link works, it takes you to the "contact" us page. If not, from the home page you can choose the contact us link in the upper right corner.
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Thanks very much. I really will follow through with this. :D
 
PRETTY cool bott! haha i always like the reaction when deaf people find out I sign they're like OOO YAY YAY and they want to tell me everything so fast im like slow your roll..:P but yay thats a great experience
 
Bottesini said:
It made my day wonderful. I am not a gifted signer, but it was so much easier than my usual experience that I am still happy.:)
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That's what counts the most when a conversation is carried with less confusions. :)
 
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