Deaf man had to get help from his wife at restaurants for translations—until one waitress' response left him 'shocked'
Inclusion in many of its forms can make a person's day. A deaf man was both glad and "shocked" when he didn't have to take his wife's help to order his food after he walked into a restaurant. The waitress, Taylor, came up to the couple and immediately started using American Sign Language (ASL) when she realized that the man, Robert Haney, was deaf. Usually, his wife would translate for him whenever they went out. The brief conversation was shared on Robert and his wife, Maggie's, TikTok page, where they go by @robert_and_maggie. The clip received over 7.7 million views.
Taylor came up to the couple and introduced herself to Robert in ASL. "We finally have a waitress who can sign," Robert told his wife with an excited expression. "I am excited. Don't have to depend on my wife to interpret anymore." The man ordered a "Tour of Italy" and a salad, looking enthusiastic throughout the entire duration. He even fist-bumped the air and gave Taylor a big smile. Robert asked the waitress when she learned sign language. The woman explained that she learned sign language during high school and took ASL for four years. "Four years, good!" The caption read, "When you finally have a waitress who knows some sign language!"
@robert_and_maggie When you finally have a waitress that knows some sign language! @Tmoney #asl #signlanguage #deaf #dinner #fyp ♬ original sound - HaneyHouse
Robert, 42, lost his hearing as a three-year-old after suffering from a bout of meningitis, per PEOPLE. He has had such experiences before, but he was elated to have one at a place that was familiar to him and his wife. The man felt understood and seen after the interaction. "My first thoughts were that I was shocked and excited because not many waiters know American Sign Language," he told the outlet. His wife, Maggie, took ASL in college and explained that her husband could communicate on his own even in a usual setting as well, but it was just faster for her to translate for him. The man talked to hearing individuals with a combination of lip reading, gestures, talk-to-text apps and speech when his wife was not with him.
Taylor knew enough sign language to understand the man's order and to talk a little bit more. "Most of the time, I have to work extra hard to communicate with others who don’t know ASL. As a deaf person, I can sometimes feel isolated because communication isn’t always easy. When waiters know even just a little bit of ASL, I don’t have to work hard to communicate." Robert runs a moving company and rarely comes across people who know ASL. Most of his customers don't know sign language either. He highlighted how hearing individuals could really help deaf people communicate by writing things down or maintaining eye contact.
People appreciated the waitress for her efforts in the comments section of the video. @roshanetraylor2 wrote, "I took sign language for four years in high school. They will speak slowly so you can understand. It’s very kind of the deaf community to do so because you could choose any language, but you choose sign language." @093rhi commented, "Love this! I wish sign language was mandatory in schools across the world." @elyanette87 remarked, "In my opinion, schools should teach the kids about finances. How to do their own taxes and sign language." @tannyrochelle shared, "Yay! It’s always a sense of relief when others can communicate. I bet her tip was appreciated, too. Great service."
You can follow Robert and Maggie (@robert_and_maggie) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.