Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!260!204!Ann.Parsons
From: Ann.Parsons@f204.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Parsons)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Class Reunion
Message-ID: <13155@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 25 Jul 90 16:31:28 GMT
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Index Number: 9524

Hi Gary,

>"Hey folks, I am getting ready to attend my 25th class reunion and I
>"have some weird fears about it. Since I haven't seen any of those
>"people since I lost my hearing***what do I do*****. I mean I'm
>"really excited about going in one thought and scared to death in
>"the next one. I was what you call pretty popular in high school but
>"not exactly the main throb around school. It seemed that alot of
>"people in school knew me but my nose was always getting in my way
>"of seeing these little people. I mean the snob would come out and
>"the big football stud in me would come out and now I feel really
>"bad that I didn't take notice to all the little people that were
>"just trying to be friendly to me. *And kids today say we don't know
>"what peer pressure is like.

Hmmmmm, Gary, you really have a nack for posing difficult questions. As for 
the meeting of folks you didn't pay attention to in High School, just meet 
them as you would if you were meeting them for the first time.

>"Well enough of that, my problem is what do I say to these people
>"when they try to talk to me and there is alot of noise from other
>"conversations and probably will be alot of loud music going on all
>"the time. **Hey we old people can still bugey too***. I really want
>"to have a good time and talk to these people including the ones
>"that I didn't run around with in school.  But I just know it's
>"going to be struggle especially if I get responses I get from plain
>"ordinary folk that say bug off I don't have time to try and
>"communicate with you.

Why not wear a t.shirt that says something like:

Gary Albright

I'm the same but my ears aren't

Something cute like that, so they'll know to speak louder. Carry a pencil and 
paper or laptop. Be patient with them.

>"I really miss alot of my old friends from school but I don't know
>"if they'll be able to handle my situation like it is being HI. I
>"really hope that a few will put up with me and show me I still have
>"some good friends left.

As I did say affore now, Gary, any true friends you have or had will put up 
with you because friendship is like that. You may have to deal with the, "Oh, 
gee, Gary, I'm so very sorry this has happened to you" But, just show them you 
are still you, even though your ears don't work as well as they used.

Good luck and God bless and have a great time!

Ann P.

P.S.
I sent Lynne your last posting in hard copy and I will send her this one too.

A.P.

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