Contents
Foreword-Christine L. Gannon and Jeff D. Gannon
Preface
Part One. Becoming Deaf and going Away to School
“They Say I’m Deaf”-Saul N. Kessler
Introduction
My Brief Journey through the Hearing World
How Do You Make Hands Talk?
Into a New Soundless World
Aunt Eva and My Missed Miracle
Away to School
My Name Becomes a Label
My Sister, an Angel
Talk! Talk! Talk!
“Long Tooth,” “Pull-Up-Pants,” and Other Name Signs
Mr. Arnovitz and Us “Wayward Drunks”
The Brothers X
Mr. Arnovitz’s Girlfriend
Time and the Reverend Westertham
“Hey Kid! You Deaf or Something?!”
Dad
My Friend, Willie, the Bootblack
And, She Had Red Hair
The Alaskan Old-Timer
Ron Meets His Future Mother-in-Law
Part Two. Becoming Teachers and Coaches
“Words from a Deaf Child”-Mervin D. Garretson
Introduction
“As the Twig is Bent”
“Ornating” a Helpful Neighbor
The Magic of September
Jill “hi-j-a-c-k-s” Me
Miss Trukken and Her “Hearing” Glasses
Brian Tells Me about Tomorrow Three
Marty, the “Expert” Signer
Gene Invents His Own Verb
“Forget It!”
The Boys of September, October, and November
Young Gary’s Courage and Magic
Four-seven Makes the Team
Tom Remembers
“Good Lucky’s” Special Charm
Life and Footballs Take Funny Bounces
The Game We Really Won
On Being a Winner
Postscript to the Last Season
Part Three. Becoming Parents
“Language for the Eye”-Dorothy Miles
Introduction
We Move to a “Quiet” Neighborhood
Rumbling Trucks in the Night
Baby-Cry Signals
Living with and without Sound
Jeff Provides a Crowning Moment to Our Lives
Christy Wishes We Could Hear
Stuck in the Bathroom
Bedridden with a Painful Knee
Deaf-Mute
Daddy! Get Your Elbow off the Horn!
Sing Along with . . . Huh?
Daddy, What Took You Sooooo Long?!
Part Four. Interaction with the Hearing World as a Deaf Professional
“On His Deafness”-Robert F. Panara
Introduction
The “Deaf Nod”
The Overconfident Salesman
Mac and His Metal Bedpan
I’ll Always Remember Monique
Down the Stairs with Yerker
“Mom’s Now a Little Deaf ”
Two Ladies of the Night
Through the Maze with the Potty Patrol
“Always on Friday”
Carlos Keeps Me Timed
About the Author