During my second year working for an Animation studio in Petaling Jaya, two new handicapped staff joined us. Twin brothers who are deaf. The first month was an interesting challenge for me and the rest of the team when it came to communication. I understood that these brothers have been so used to communicating with those who can't do sign language. It came to my attention if they can make the effort to try to adapt to our communication level, then why cant; we with hearing ability do the same? So I decided to teach myself Sign Language.

I bought books studied them day and night, practicing my communication skills with the twins. They helped me a lot. After a few months, it got easier and I enjoyed communicating using sign language. Even though I wasn't fluent, I knew enough basic signs to ask and answer questions or even spell it out.

Almost every evening after working hours, the team and I would head over to a food truck that sold traditional snacks and meals. We would spend about an hour or so there almost every day.

I noticed this one woman who would always come over to the truck. She had a tote bag on one shoulder and an umbrella in the other. She would approach the truck and wait for someone to notice her.

The food truck owner would willingly pack a few snacks in a plastic bag and hand it to her. She would smile, nod, and leave sometimes without paying. Sometimes she would offer money but the food truck owner would kindly decline her money.

One day, my friend decided to ask the food truck owner who this lady was.

"Oh, her. Don't know her name. She cant talk. She's deaf. She comes here every day to buy some snacks with little money she has. She sells tissue packets. Sometimes she helps out around here by sweeping off the access foods near the truck. On some good days, she's around. I feel sorry for her most of the time. She's finding it hard to get a job cause of her disability."

My heart cracked a little. But also some admiration for her strength. Wondering what she goes through every day. My friend then without filtering, told the Pak Cik

"Ah, well my friend here can speak sign language! Y'know with the hands and stuff. I think she can help out."He imitated a poorly inaccurate version of some sign language to the Pak Cik.

"Oh really? I'm not sure if she uses sign language. Cause we just do the whole and nod thing y'know. You can come over again tomorrow evening and talk to her yourself." said the Pak Cik.

The next day, I saw her come over again. The Pak Cik motioned her to follow him towards our table. I was nervous and worried I might screw up my signs. I've never communicated with any other deaf person besides the twins from work. And that's just communicating regarding work issues. Signs such as, 're-do' or 'add drawing here' and 'deadline today'. I had only 30% faith in my own new skills. But I knew I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to get to know her.

She looked at me puzzled as I got up to approach her. The Pak Cik just smiled and pointed at me, then mouthed the words "speak" whilst motioning a duck beak hand gesture to her.

She looked at me puzzled and waved her palm at me as a sign of a curious form of 'hello'.

I replied with a sign

"Hi, How are you?"

Her eyes widen. Her face glowed. I interpreted each sign with words in my head based on the books I studied.

"You-sign? You-same-no-hearing?"

"No. I-sign-very-little. Learn, read. book. What is your name?" I struggled.

She spelled her name so fast I could not catch it.

I asked her to repeat slowly. She giggled silently and tapped my shoulder to ease my embarrassment. She spelled each letter ;

"D-A-P-H-N-E"

"Oh~ Daphne." I said out loud. She nodded while smiling, then pointed to me asking my name instead. I spelled out my name. Then did a short nick sign for her to address me that the twins gave. I sign the letter 'R' and tapped it on my chin where my lip piercing (at the time) was.

"Ah! Yes. Name-suits-you." She candidly agreed.

"What-work-you -do?" I asked.

"Little. Here and there. Wash, clean, throw. But-not-enough-income. Need-support-family."

Her smile faded as lightly touched her sling bag.

I tried to compose myself to not show her pity. If I were her, I wouldn't want people feeling sorry for me too. She seemed tired but looked like she was always ready to try new things.

"Difficult-talk-with-people. I. write. Slow. Me-not-good-write. People-no patience-wait. But-I can-work-hard. Fast." 

I motioned that I understood. 

"You understand I sign? I too fast?" She worried.

"No, no. I'm ok. I want to learn. More." I managed to catch up on my speed.

She then said she had to leave to catch the 6:30 pm bus and hoped to see me again. I let her off and waved goodbye. 

That same night, I was going through my Sign Language Tutorial book looking for ways on how to advance my conversation. I felt like I could help Daphne more, but wasn't sure how. Or in what way.

We started greeting each other almost every day after work at the food truck. It was nice to see her smiling more, and I was always looking forward to seeing her to improve my sign language.

One day, I met her during lunch. She ran after me from behind as I was walking to the bank.

I turned to see her panting after a fast tap on my shoulder.

"Sorry! Sorry!" I circled my fist around my chest. 

"I-not-know-you-call me. You-alright?" I signed my concern.

She caught her breath.

"Yes. Yes. It's ok."

She smiled as she wiped her sweat followed by a big exhale.

There was a small piece of paper in her hand. She looked at it and handed it to me. I took it and saw a name and a number then asked her what it was for.

"Please help. Telephone. Work..." and another sign that I couldn't understand. I had to ask her to slow down and spell it out for me. 

"V-A-C-A-N-C-Y" 

Now I understood what she needed help with. I agreed. She took out her mobile phone but I pushed it away and offered to use my phone instead. Before I tapped the call keypad, she reminded me to explain her skills and what she's willing to learn. I nodded. 

"Hi, may I speak to Hafiz, please?

Yes. Hi, my name is Rina. My friend, who's who has a hearing aid disability found your number on the work vacancy bulletin board at 7-11. She'd like to apply for the job."

(pause)

"Skills?" I looked at Daphne.

Daphne could read my lips when I said skills. Immediately she signed actions; clean, cook, wash, and throw rubbish. I understood and relayed it to Mr. Hafiz in my own words of Daphne's skills.

Throughout the phone call, Daphne looked like she was struggling to read my lips, forming a confused and worried unibrow. At the same time, she clasped her hands tightly under her chin praying for some good news.

"Oh, ok. Thank you, Mr. Hafiz." I ended the call and looked at the phone, then at her. 

"What? What man say?" She nervously asked.

I put my phone in my pocket and handed her back the piece of paper. I took a few seconds to construct my signs carefully and correctly for her to understand. I made the effort to learn it. Then I should make the effort to use it for someone who needed it.

"Go-next-week. S-u-b-w-a-y restaurant. Near-bank. Time-ten-morning. 

You-clean and learn-make S-A-N-D-W-I-C-H.

3-days, 1-week. If-do-good-maybe-can-one-month, RM-800-salary." 

I paused a second to make sure I had said it right. Then looked at her.

She jumped for joy and hugged me. She pushed back and kept tapping both my shoulders with a wide smile on her face. I think she even tried to speak. Although nothing came out vocally I could read her lips, loud and clear.

"Thank You." She cried.

Then wiped her tears.

Gently cupped her friendly face and smiled right back at her.

A week or so after that, I didn't see Daphne much due to over-time work pilling up. But the Pak Cik did share with us that she was happier.

I hoped that good things continue to happen to her.

Also, I hopefully get to see her again one day.

*Pakcik - Uncle, or used to formally address an elderly man. in this case, addressing the Food truck owner.