"Will you please sign for me?"

Chance, his brother, and I were out Christmas shopping when the cashier noticed Chance's implants. Chance had actually drifted off to look at a nearby shelf, and the cashier said,"Your son has implants?"

"Yes, he does." I replied.

"Oh, I had a sign language class and I heard about those."

Then she didn't say anything else.

It has been our experience that sometimes the information that people have about implants is not on the level sometimes.

"They work really well for him." I ventured.

"Hmmm." She said. Does he know any sign?"

I explained that he knew some, but that he preferred to talk. I told her how Chance has never really took to sign as his primary mode of communication. He would use it to emphasize things, or sign a word or two here and there when he thought we didn't understand what he was saying, but he never signed complete thoughts.

This is a touchy subject with some people, so I just try to let people know that the implants are working for Chance and they can think what they want.

When Chance returned to my side, the cashier asked him,"Will you please sign for me?"

Chance cocked his head and said' "What?"

"Will you sign for me pleeeeease?" She asked.

Chance looked at me.

"Signing -- when you talk with your hands." I explained.

It just so happens that Chance's school class has learned several Christmas songs that they are singing in a concert. One of the songs they learned in sign. All of the first graders in the school learned to sing "Up On The Housetop," while signing. With a little coaxing, Chance sang the song to her while he signed the actions. She was very excited.

It is interesting that she talked to Chance, he responded, to me and to her, but she really wanted him to sign.

Half of having a deaf child is awareness and educating people on what the possibilities are. I don't have anything against signing, I just found it interesting that this cashier was so interested in Chance signing. There was a certain irony to the fact that she verbally asked him to sign, and all conversations were talking, except for the song.

I still wonder what this cashier has heard about implants. She apparently prefers sign:)