My deaf experience

Last Thursday I went to the corner store and faked to be deaf. I didn't mean to, it just came out; and honestly, I feel bad because I acted and actually made the cashier believe I couldn’t hear. The whole situation was very confusing but it was a nice experience to me.

I was making the line and wanted one of those beef sausages. I didn’t felt like talking so I pointed the sausage with my finger and signed “1”. The reaction was immediate, the attendant extended his hand and handed me a sausage.

Then he proceeded to check-out what I was buying. After calculating the total, he pointed the total in the screen and said “debit?” He didn’t actually talked, just moved his lips slowly as if talking.

This made me felt really strange. On the one hand, I was glad I wouldn’t have to talk. On the other hand, I saw him in the eyes and noticed that he was acting strange too. I know he was nervous to death, because he didn’t really knew how to treat me. Even though I felt guilty for acting, I did feel different. I felt deaf.

And I felt powerful. I felt no one could touch me. I felt the world slow motioning around me. People were moving their lips, hands and faces and I would notice every detail, expression and emotion. And it felt nice despite it lasted so little. It felt special, talking with your hands and listening with your eyes. It felt special being deaf.