Smiles know no language barrier

Allen, who is 28 and has been a resident of McPherson for the past 10 years, has been deaf since birth. In spite of his deafness, he does everything one would expect a 28-year-old man to do. He lives on his own, he works, he spends time with his friends, he loves baseball, football and fishing. 

In fact, Allen says, the only real difference between him and a hearing person is the way they communicate. 

Allen's first language, of course, is sign language. But, he says, he understands that not everyone can sign and lip-reading is difficult. What does that leave? 

Allen reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small notepad and a pencil. And, all the time smiling his crinkly-eyed smile, he explains that if someone wants to talk to him and doesn't know sign language, they can write it down and he will write down his response. 

Allen works at Wal-Mart, where he has been employed for the past four years. But until recently, he worked in the back, away from the public. Eventually, though, the sociable Allen (who has a highly contagious laugh), decided he wanted to work out on the floor. He approached store manager Jack Rogers about it, and so for the past month, that's where he's been. 

Armed with his notepad and pencil and wearing a name tag that says, "I'm a deaf associate. I have a notebook if you have any questions," he works in housewares, stocking the shelves, taking care of the merchandise and answering his customers' questions. 

That is, if the people will give him a chance. 

Sometimes, he said, people will walk up to him, see his name tag, realize he's deaf, then turn around and walk away. That bothers him. 

"When people approach me, I have a notepad and I'm able to help them, but sometimes they won't let me," Allen said, speaking through a combination of sign language (interpreted by Rogers) and note-writing. "Some people don't like it when they find out I'm deaf." 

Allen has recently acquired business cards which he can hand to people while he's working. The cards say that he is deaf and although he can assist them, he will get a hearing salesman to help them if they would prefer. 

Hearing people need to have patience with deaf people, Allen said, and remember than deafness is not their fault. 

"Deaf people just want a chance to work and lead good lives," he said, adding that he's happy to be able to live independently and hold down a job. 

Allen, most of whose friends are deaf, said deaf people are happy to try and teach hearing people sign language. In fact, Allen helps teach a class of his co-workers how to communicate with their hands. 

But Allen, who didn't learn to sign until he was almost eight years old and attended a school for the deaf in Olathe, said he wishes sign language would be taught in public schools. Rogers, who didn't know how to sign before he met Allen, said eight percent of the workforce is made up of people with disabilities. 

"I wonder if that number could be greater if we'd give them more opportunities," Rogers said.

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