Dear Abby: Deaf guest ignored during dinner party

From: Pioneer Press - St. Paul,MN,USA - Apr 19, 2004

BY ABIGAIL VAN BUREN

Columnist

Dear Abby: I was at a dinner party recently. One of the guests, who was totally deaf, was completely ignored. Not once did anyone attempt to include him in the conversation. I don't know how he stood it.

After dinner, I talked to him. He told me he is used to being ignored by hearing people at parties and hated attending them. He was there to please his wife, who is not deaf.

He spoke well and was good at lip-reading. He was intelligent, knowledgeable and has a good job. He told me he would bring a good book to these gatherings if his wife didn't think it'd be rude.

Abby, how would you have handled this? I'm going to send your answer to every person I know.
— Shocked by the Rudeness

Dear Shocked: A gracious hostess tries her best to assure that all of her guests will have a good time and facilitates conversation. If I had been the hostess, I would have spoken with the couple in advance and elicited some interesting facts about the man. Then, I would have shared them with the rest of my guests, as well as the fact that he could lip-read.

© 2004 Pioneer Press