Inmates

Deaf inmates' grievances were settled out of court when an arbitration ruled in their favor to allow a felon ASL interpreter on Death Row to accompany them on their chain gang assignments, to appear at parole hearings, and permitting them to be cellmates.  Deaf inmates now are able to complete their GED, participate in a drug rehabilitation program, anger management sessions, etc. The state saves money using felons as interpreters. As a matter of fact, these interpreters would rather be interpreting than pressing license plates. Unfortunately, the pilot program was cut after the interpreter was executed. 

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Baptism

Jose was driving down the highway, "look out," slammed on his brakes, leaving skid marks. There is a frightened dog alongside, was lost, but now found. Lifted and hugged, licking his face, tail wagging, obviously a friendly dog. Jose knew his wife wouldn't accept another dog into the household so took him to the vet. Ben, a Deaf Christian, eventually adopted him and was given a nickname, "Florida," and returned back home to North Carolina. God is our best friend, just as Ben being the dog's best friend. Both were baptized,  fleas were taken away, so were our sins. The dog now has a home while we await ours in the hereafter.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Rippowam Chess Team

My Deaf brother, Buster, a linotypist with the New York Times, taught me how to play chess. I joined the Rippowam High School chess team, these guys are really good, unbeatable unless you somehow disrupt their strategy. It's great playing chess against rival schools in our area. Buster gave me an Atari 2600 console to practice chess. I ain't no Bobby Fisher.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Life

Life is playing sudoku, watching Seal Team, drinking Coca-Cola, reading the Digest, throwing away ads from local funerals,  getting heartburns from McRibs, taking rustic road trips, refilling prescriptions, feeding the cranes, socializing with Deaf friends, blogging and wishing I'm somewhere else.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Deaf Beggar

New York police arrested a homeless man at the Times Square subway station after receiving several complaints of impersonating a "deaf" beggar, actually he's a laid off VRS interpreter, struggling with alcoholism. During questioning, he admitted that his Deaf parents overstayed their visas and left him behind, after being deported back to Honduras. ICE agents took him to the detention center, awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge to consider his asylum request but will nevertheless be denied due to his lengthy rap sheet. (fictional)

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Deaf Ohio Farmer

Matt and Jessica Fry are both deaf and are raising two children who can hear.

Deaf farmer finds ways to overcome

  Brianna Gwirtz, OCJ field reporter

Riding next to his dad in the tractor, a young Matt Fry could tell there was a problem with the machine. He and his father were working ground on their farm in Bellville when Matt noticed a difference in the way the tractor was running. He could feel it in the vibrations of the engine that something was not right, even before the beeping alarms let his dad know there was an issue. Although Fry was unable to hear the alarms, his other senses alerted him to the problem.

Growing up, Fry never let his deafness discourage him from enjoying life on the farm. Today, he’s a husband, father and full-time farmer. Matt still works alongside his dad, Robert, as the fourth generation on their family farm, where they no-till oats, wheat, hay, corn, and soybeans. He also has his own small herd of beef cows.

Matthew Fry is really interested in what his father is doing on the farm.

Born with the ability to hear, Matt suffered a severe illness as an infant that caused him to lose his sense of hearing. As an adult, his hands serve not only as vital tools on the farm, but tools to communicate and connect with others.

“I grew up as an only child on the farm and attended Mansfield City Schools for their deaf program,” Fry said. “My teacher signed with me and then I had an interpreter when I joined the other classroom. I had other deaf and hard of hearing peers in my classroom.

“After I graduated high school, I worked full-time off the farm and helped my dad when I could. When the economy took a turn for the worse around 15 years ago or so, I lost that job but was able to come home and work on the farm full-time.”

Fry communicates with his dad via sign language as well as paper and pencil.

“When I am on the farm, I mainly use home signs. It’s not true American sign language, but gestures that have meanings,” Fry said. “Texting and video calling are also great ways I can talk to people.”

Matt met his wife Jessica, who is also deaf, at a fundraising event in Columbus. A self-proclaimed city girl, Jessica was intrigued by the farm life but it took some adjusting.

“We met through some mutual friends at a cornhole tournament that was a fundraising event. Once we started talking and I realized he was a farmer, I was just really fascinated by all that he does,” Jessica said. “It’s really rare to find a deaf farmer. There are not very many in the United States. It was at times a tough transition to the farm life for me after growing up in a big city, but there’s really no better place to raise your kids than on a farm.”

The pair wed in 2013 and welcomed twins Matthew and Madeleine a few years later. Both children can hear.

Considered CODAs, or Children of Deaf Adults, the two 5-year-olds are well versed in both American Sign Language and English.

“It’s impressive that they are so young and are bilingual already,” Jessica said. “We will always practice deaf culture in our household. They learned sign language first from us and then later on they learned to speak and write in English.”

Both twins love to help their dad, but their son Matthew is especially enthralled with the farm life.

“Both of my kids are great helpers. Matthew is just fascinated by tractors. He is always wanting to go on rides and spend time with me on the tractor,” Matt said. “Before I leave the house, he is always asking me so many questions about where I am going, what I am doing and why I am doing something.

“Right now I am working on baling hay, and every night when I get home Matthew wants to know when I am going to wrap the bales, so finally the weather cooperated and I texted my wife and here comes Matthew, so excited to go wrap hay,” he said with a smile.

Matthew’s interest at such a young age could lead to another generation on the family farm.

“I hope that when the kids grow up that they do pursue agricultural jobs and want to continue with the family farm someday,” Matt said. “There are just so many different options for jobs in agriculture.”

Watching Matt and his children interact, you would never know that a potential language barrier exists.

“My motto is that my family will always come first, and then the farm,” Matt said.

Farming in general can be a challenging occupation, but being deaf while farming can present its own unique challenges. Luckily, there are plenty of modifications that can be done to make the job easier for Matt.

“Our machines are modified and accessible for me, so I can operate them without having to rely on others,” Matt said. “Our mechanic set up our tractor to have LED lights instead of sounds to let me know when there are problems. So if something isn’t right, a light will flash for me. Then I know I need to stop and check on things.”

Matt also does things the old fashioned way — watching very carefully.

“I am always very aware of my surroundings and try to be extra observant,” Fry said. Additionally, he relies on monitors that show numbers and other information as well to monitor his fields and work. Perhaps what has been more challenging than not being able to hear on the farm for Matt and Jessica has been finding a sense of community within the agricultural industry.

“Being a farmer’s wife is not always easy,” Jessica said. “I do love it, but sometimes I just wish I knew of other deaf women in agriculture that I can communicate with.”

Jessica did share that joining groups on social media has helped, but that it’s not the same as being able to sign with someone.

“Yeah, we know of a few other deaf farmers across the state and in several other states, but there’s no formal organization or anything for us to join to gather or talk regularly,” Matt said. When working with other hearing farmers, Matt often writes out what he needs to say or uses texting or the notes app on his phone. He knows of a handful of other deaf farmers (including an Ohio produce grower and dairy farmer) but they are certainly not common. He does not know any deaf grain or beef farmers in Ohio.

“I feel like I can’t be the only (deaf) one out there,” Matt said.

If there’s anything that Matt wants people to know, it’s that his deafness doesn’t affect his passion for his family or for farming.

“My husband does not like to show his deafness, because then people think he can’t do things,” Jessica said. “Matt is a really fast learner, he’s so observant and just loves what he does. He’s a very hard worker.”

Since he was a boy alerting his father to a problem with his keen other senses, Matt has expanded his knowledge and skills as a farmer to overcome his lack of hearing.

“I can do everything a hearing person can do on the farm. The only thing a deaf person cannot do is hear,” Matt said with a smile. “And I don’t give up.”

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Snakes

We took a field trip to the Reptile World Serpentarium taking a tour of their facility where they got hundreds of snakes. In the laboratory, they created antidote to saves the lives of people bitten by venomous snakes. A handler shown us a Sumatran cobra behind protective glass panel, then came out to allow children to hold a milk snake and answer their questions.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Washington Nationals

Dr. Anthony Fauci

Q: What does Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. I. King Jordan have in common?

A: They both are fans of the Washington Nationals baseball team.

I am with my good old friend, I. King Jordan, the first Deaf Washington Nationals fan, who well known for his famous quote, "Chicago Cubs can do anything except win." Jordan once works as 

an usher at the former Washington Senators games.

We were watching the World Series at the Smokehouse Bar in Orlando.

Dr. Fauci thrown a wild first pitch at the World Champion Washington Nationals game against the New York Yankees,  but the rival Yankees won!

Fauci's rival President Trump thrown out the first pitch at Yankees stadium without the fans.

Dr. I. King Jordan is the first Deaf President of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. known for his famous quote:

"Deaf people can do anything except hear!"

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Spaghetti

I think we should stop yelling at our kids for playing with their food, let them use their imagination like this one creating a portrait of Trump using spaghetti, a clever piece of art. 

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Sunday

God wants full custody of His children, not just Sunday visitation rights.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Gospels

The four Gospels writers were drinking their favorite brand while burning the midnight oil.

 If God wants us to spread the gospels to the Deaf then why are we deaf to God's commands?

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Eggs

I preferred scrambled eggs at breakfast, first you break the yolk just like this artist is doing on his canvas.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Deaf Handyman

Deaf Handyman: "You got tools, I got ideas! Your project this weekend is to build a doghouse."

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Gambling

Police are raiding the Deaf clubs across the Deep South, especially here in the Heart of the Dixie, confiscating evidences of widespread gambling activities among the Deaf, after receiving an anonymous tip from a disgruntled Deaf member who lost last month jackpot, the biggest ever. Deaf officials were taken into custody, assets seized, and their non-profits status revoked. Additional charges are expected, such as selling alcohol on the premise without a license, building code violations, etc. A spokesman for the Governor's Task Force on Gambling stated "gambling in any form is illegal and the Deaf thought they can get away with it, they were wrong."

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Manatees

When you are in Florida, don't forget to set aside time to enjoy the manatees in our waterways to escape the hassles of the theme parks.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Economy

Save our economy by purchasing products made right here in America so we can pay back the Chinese what we owe. Americans need jobs so we can afford to travel to China.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Mistrial

The judge  declared a mistrial in a case of an ASL interpreter, accused of murder, because there were no Deaf among the jury. It's a controversial decision in favor of the defense team who argued that his client has a right to an impartial jury of peers. 

The Judge flatly rejected the state prosecutor's argument that selecting a Deaf juror will be somewhat be biased in this particular case. The judge reaffirm the rights of the Deaf, under the Constitution, to serve on a jury. The ASL interpreter is now out on bail awaiting a new trail.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Wine

I really don't care if my glass is half full or half empty as long as there are plenty of room for more wine. 

Happy New Year, so let's drink!

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

"Hey Deer"

In this short silent animated film, of a deer having to shovel the snow after every blizzards. 

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Nativity

The Vatican in Rome, Italy is doing something different this year, creating a Nativity scene using 720 tons of sand, thought that was cool. The Pope probably build sand castles on a beach when he was a kid. 

The sculptors just completed their tasks yesterday, just in time when they lighted their giant Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square, hope you all will have a wonderful holiday season, and start writing up those resolutions to get a fresh start on the upcoming new year. 

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Ice Cream Cone

We all know who invented the light bulb but what about the ice cream cone? 

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Dreams

Our Deaf daughter always wear her glasses while sleeping so she can read captions during her dreams.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Memos

"I wish my boss uses e-mails , not expecting me working overtime printing memos to all our  employees" 

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Deaf Rage

The Deaf are the safest drivers on the our highways, but be warned that may change if you cut in front of them, so keep moving.

Deaf Rage is something you don't want to encounter.  

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!

Wetson's

My first job is flipping burgers at a local Wetson's in Cos Cob, Connecticut.

This is Smokey stay tuned for the next episode of Deaf Anthology, Good Night Deaf America!