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ESL = Gang Signs?
Forgive any typos and what not this was written at the end of the very long shift on the day this occurred. This is my first time posting here I believe but probably not the last.
A Convince store clerk here with a bit of a story time. I work in a fairly busy C-store on graveyard. We have a pretty high population of hearing impaired customers in my area so I took an ASL (American sign language) at the local community college a few years back, while I was working at a dollar store in the same area because I hate not being able to converse well with my customers. Most if not all of the hearing impaired customers sign and they know that I also sign so they try to come in when I work.
One of my regulars came in near the end of my shift and we struck up a conversation (in ASL) while the lady behind them watched and seemed appalled by it. I thought it was just because it was taking longer than normal (I sign very well but am by no means fluent so sometimes it takes me a few 'please repeat that's' before I get what's being said.). I finished up with my regular then helped the lady behind her. Next thing I know she's asking to speak to my manager and reaming HIM because and I quote 'Your clerk was just throwing gang signs at a lady for five minutes!'. My Manager of course attempted to explain to the woman that it was all ASL and not at all gang related at all.
Well this lady was having none of it. I suppose it could have been that several of the abbreviated signs that we used look very close to gang signs but she swore up and down it was all gang related.
I swear people in my neighborhood are getting crazier by the day. I've been working at my store for nearly six months now and have never had another customer even look twice while I help a hearing impaired customer via ASL even when I was in plain cloths and off the clock (which happens just about every time I venture into the store on my days off, to the point I've taught most of my co-workers the most common requests the regulars have just so I don't get a phone all asking me to come translate ever again.).
A Convince store clerk here with a bit of a story time. I work in a fairly busy C-store on graveyard. We have a pretty high population of hearing impaired customers in my area so I took an ASL (American sign language) at the local community college a few years back, while I was working at a dollar store in the same area because I hate not being able to converse well with my customers. Most if not all of the hearing impaired customers sign and they know that I also sign so they try to come in when I work.
One of my regulars came in near the end of my shift and we struck up a conversation (in ASL) while the lady behind them watched and seemed appalled by it. I thought it was just because it was taking longer than normal (I sign very well but am by no means fluent so sometimes it takes me a few 'please repeat that's' before I get what's being said.). I finished up with my regular then helped the lady behind her. Next thing I know she's asking to speak to my manager and reaming HIM because and I quote 'Your clerk was just throwing gang signs at a lady for five minutes!'. My Manager of course attempted to explain to the woman that it was all ASL and not at all gang related at all.
Well this lady was having none of it. I suppose it could have been that several of the abbreviated signs that we used look very close to gang signs but she swore up and down it was all gang related.
I swear people in my neighborhood are getting crazier by the day. I've been working at my store for nearly six months now and have never had another customer even look twice while I help a hearing impaired customer via ASL even when I was in plain cloths and off the clock (which happens just about every time I venture into the store on my days off, to the point I've taught most of my co-workers the most common requests the regulars have just so I don't get a phone all asking me to come translate ever again.).
) since I'm going to be a special education teacher.
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