Hello, I am Ken Davis. My sign name is Ken. I want to share an ASL story with you about fishing.
I was about seven years old and my mother, who was hearing and she understood just a little bit of signs, was sick, and in bed.
I was so bored. I wondered what should I do? I had an idea I walked into my moms bedroom and she opened up her eyes and I said mama I’m bored. I want to go walk to the water and fish.
Mama opened her eyes for a little bit and said yes, go ahead. And then laid back down. I was so excited I ran. I got my fishing pole.
I got my little fishing tackle box and I walked to the water I was about seven years old and there was a small lake (really just a pond) that had different kinds of fish in it.
There was bass, catfish, and small fish. So I walked down to the pond and I started fishing. I was enjoying myself just fishing. My mom was sleeping a bit longer,
and then she woke up. My mother got up and decided to see where Ken was. So she walked around searching the house.
Searching each room, but found no one. She thought she’d check to see if I was at my friends house. She knocked on the door and she asked “is Ken here?”
“have you seen Ken?”, but she can’t find me. Mom started getting really worried and calling out for me. She ran back to the house and went in to call my dad.
She cried out, “I can’t find our son, our deaf son!! He’s gone!! He’s disappeared!!! I need HELP!!
My dad told her to hold on while he asked his boss if he could “miss work because an emergency came up and I need to help find my deaf son.”
The boss said, “yes, go!” So my dad got in the car and drive home! When he arrived home, he and my mom started searching all over! They were so upset.
Just filled with worry! Me? Oh, I’m having so much fun fishing! Enjoying my day out….and then I see my dad….walking towards me,
and he’s mad! I’m standing there just smiling and waving …… and then I noticed my dad had his belt! He had slid his belt off of his pants!!!
Again, I had just been sooo happy…..when I realized something was wrong!!! And boy did I get nervous my dad grabbed a hold of me, put me over his knee
and started spanking me right there by the pond!! I started crying so hard! now pay attention when I look back.
Yes, it really bothers my heart. Yes why? because I was innocent the communication was one sided.
big misunderstand.
For years I was about 22, I think, maybe 23, but it still bothered me, so I decided I wanted to call an expert interpreter
and asked if they’d mind coming for an emergency, family emergency, as something was really bothering me.
They said sure no problem so they came to our house. My dad was sitting on one chair.
My mother was sitting next to him. The interpreter was on my side. No wait a second. She sat next to my parents, (I got confused for a second) but anyways,
the three of them sat side by side. I thanked them all for coming, but there was some thing on my heart that has been bothering me since I was young
and I reminded them of this story. My mom and dad couldn’t believe that I still remembered! I said “yes, I still remember many things that happened,
but I remember this story that my dad punished me, and he blamed me because our communication then was so hard.
Both my parents cried! They came to me and hugged me, and we’re so sorry. Finally in my heart what had been bothering me, it was gone!! Why? Because I forgave.