Shes Deaf and doesn't live here.....and you did what now?

[Hon'ya-chan]

One of the other stores gave me a gem of a story.

So the AM on duty receives a phone call from a lady. She's "wondering" if they can find her daughter. Who's deaf. Who was made to wait in their store to wait for someone. Who's suppose to pick her up.

So, one of the workers does a quick scan, and finds nobody that's matching the description that she described. She's now "worried" because she's visiting from out of town, and has been at a "Special School" for most of her life. Which means that the deaf girl has no idea how the local area looks like. The AM tells the lady to call Mall Security or the Police, and to call her back up if nothing happens.

Not more than 15 minutes later a girl walks up to the registers to buy something and the worker realizes, the girl is deaf. So, after some paper writing back and forth, SURPRISE, it's the girl in question.

Now this further involves Mall security and the police, and how this girl has no idea where she is, has no cell phone, no ID, NOTHING. Just some cash and her mom dumping her at the mall. Who's supposed to be picked up by someone, who obviously hasn't bothered to park their car somewhere, jump out, walk to our store or the other stores, or called mall security, and ask or look around for her. Oh yeah, did I mention the girl CAN'T HEAR FOR NOTHING?!?!

I actually got outraged over this, because we have a similar situation at out store, only we suspect the kid has some sort of ADD or learning disability, or a really crappy mother who has some high paying job/position and can afford a personal assistant and just completely ignores the child.

*sigh* I dunno, this story and my experiences at our store just makes me rage over this.

[Demonoid Phenomenon]

How old was the girl?

[Hon'ya-chan]

How old was the girl?

In her Teens.

[cawaker]

almost sounds fishy like she was being sold like a slave.

but then i'm paranoid like that, too many mystery novels.

[cinema guy]

So what happened? Did she get picked up? Did the sucky mother have to fetch her? Was she kidnapped and sold into slavery, as cawalker suggested?

[Evil Queen]

I feel angered at the deaf girl's mother. You don't leave ANYONE in a strange city alone! Gods! What's wrong with her?!

It doens't matter if you're deaf, mute or blind, she's a teenager and doesn't need to be left alone in a strange place. Who cares if it's a mall and how the hell was she supposed to communiate?? The average joe can't tell the difference between American Sign Language and some weirdo just flailing their arms about!

[Anriana]

Hmm, I think it depends on what type of "teenager" the girl was - there's a big difference between 13 and 19.

I don't see why she should be sheltered just because she's deaf - plenty of deaf people are capable of speaking and reading lips well enough to function independently in the normal world.

[Aethian]

I feel angered at the deaf girl's mother. You don't leave ANYONE in a strange city alone! Gods! What's wrong with her?!

It doens't matter if you're deaf, mute or blind, she's a teenager and doesn't need to be left alone in a strange place. Who cares if it's a mall and how the hell was she supposed to communiate?? The average joe can't tell the difference between American Sign Language and some weirdo just flailing their arms about!

There was a CSI episode like that.

[Evil Queen]

There was a CSI episode like that.

I know. I own it.

My point is, though, that she's unfamiliar with anyone there so the person that thinks they're going to her aide may really be there to hurt her.

I'm not paranoid in my thinking, but she doesn't need to be by herself in a mall. I don't care how old she is, 13 or 19. With age, generally, brings wisdom.

[dithers66]

Call the police who will get child and family services to investigate if you're so mad about it.

[Kirkygirl]

As for mamma, well I hope she gets in heaps of trouble with someone. I unfortunately don't know who this will ultimately be turned over to, but it's clear that mom needs some sensitivity training.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being deaf, but I'm really frustrated with the fact that I can't talk to the person directly if they can't lip read, or if they don't have an interpreter with them. (I'm actually thinking about taking an introductory course in ASL to correct this.)
In this instance I can understand what the mall staff was thinking. If a hearing impared person is with an interpreter or a person who can lip read, I like to tell them that I'm sorry, but I am "signing impared". :P Patience, I have found, is important for both parties to have.

Hey Aethian, is the CSI ep called "Not So Silent Night", from CSI NY? Seen it, thought it was a good episode.