Shaggy Dog’s Story

Deaf awareness and communication skills

Couple of months back Sue found a very friendly, young, spaniel enjoying its freedom along the lanes near the stables. The address on the collar showed the dog lived with the new owners of a large house behind the farm. The lady of the house was surprised, horrified and grateful when Sue turned up with the spaniel.

After a chat, which included the obvious disadvantages of Sue’s hearing, they parted with smiles and waves. Since then we’ve seen family members and dog along the lane and exchanged more smiles and waves – all very friendly. Until last week.

Sue was holding two horses on the lane’s verge while her friend struggled in the field to secure the gate’s sticky padlock. Mrs New Owner drove up and stopped close to the horses with the engine running, which made them fidgety, and began speaking to Sue through the passenger window from the other side of the car.

I’m sure you’ll appreciate this wasn’t good deaf communication skills, but the driver kept trying to tell Sue something whilst becoming clearly frustrated. In the end the driver shook her hands and carried on down the lane. Sue wasn’t too concerned when she told me, although she couldn’t understand why Mrs New Owner didn’t just get out of the car. I, on the other hand, had a rant about the woman’s disgusting display of bad manners and said I’d shove her off the road when I next met her.

Luckily Sue met her first. Owner and dog came round and apologised profusely that in her rush to collect her daughter she’d forgotten how deaf Sue is and promised she’d never put Sue in that situation again. And I haven’t been charged with Driving Without Due Care and Attention.