Published in Eyes of Desire 2, A Deaf GLBT Reader
I got this fortune in a fortune cookie a few weeks ago and carried it around in my wallet. Coincidentally, a story I was commissioned to write for the book eyes of desire 2, a deaf glbt reader was published, and the book came out just last week.
I found this to be an interesting fortune because one usually doesn’t get a fortune this specific. I mean, how many people will become accomplished writers? I suppose many people are accomplished writers in one way or another, but I found especial hope in this fortune for myself.
I’m not particular proud of the story I told in this book– the story of how my first lover was deaf, and how he turned out not to be able to hold adult conversations on a deep level. I was young and naïve, and I didn’t know enough ASL when I first met him to realize that he was incapable of communicating about abstract concepts. I didn’t know what to expect from a deaf person, I didn’t realize how intelligent most deaf people are, and I didn’t even know how to communicate abstract thoughts myself in ASL, so how could I expect him to do so?
My story is not the most bright, cheerful, inspiring, or uplifting story in the book, but it was honest, and it depicts a reality that happened to me, and might happen to others as well. It’s a story I really didn’t want to tell, but I forced myself to, because I had to come to terms with a chapter of my past that haunted me for years. In fact, I often thought that I remained single for so much of my life after that because I was being punished for breaking his heart by leaving him. Who knows? Luckily, I’m long past that now, and have a wonderful marriage with a man I love dearly, a man I truly can talk with about anything and everything. And I still wish the best for my ex, my first lover, the man who gave me the impetus to master ASL and become the interpreter I am today.
I’m creating this as a post on my blog so that people who read the book and look me up through my bio in the book have a space to leave comments on the story. Thanks to Raymond for publishing the story. I welcome your comments.
Please be kind. 
Tags: communication, deaf, fortune, interpreting, prediction, publishing, writing
October 29th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Well, congratulations, Daniel!
I was thrilled to see your picture on the cover of Eyes of Desire 2. Then I was puzzled to why you, a hearing interpreter, were featured in the book about Deaf GLBT. Thanks for your blog post today, it cleared up my questions I had. I plan to get the book!
By the way, I’ll be back in Arizona at the end of November! Can’t wait to see you and Andy during the holidays (if you’re not busy)!
March 20th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Hi my daughter is deaf in one ear and she is going to compete in a little miss pagent and she so wants to sing and sign the song mary had a little lamb. Unfortunately I am unable to find printouts for that is there anyway you can help me?
March 24th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Can anyone help me with my Mary had a little lamb request?
March 24th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I’m not sure what you mean by “printouts”… I assume you know the lyrics to the song. I don’t know of any video of anyone signing Mary Had a Little Lamb. If she wants to learn how to sign the song, she should learn it from a deaf person who signs fluently.