Random Story – What was that name?

This is just an odd little story from my life.

At my college graduation, I was looking around and way up front I saw a woman signing.  It wasn’t like nowadays where there’s someone signing just to the side of the podium.  I think it was just all deaf students or family members were sat in one section.  I thought that was cool, and didn’t think much more of it.

Later, as they were reading through all the names, I glanced over again and saw her signing.  I don’t sign, but it looked like she was spelling out all the names.  And as I was thinking that that must be a pain, one of these names with twenty letters but only three vowels came up.  And I saw the signer stop and glance over her shoulder with a “What the fuck?” look on her face.  Much like Hans at the end of this clip.  (That’s apparently from a Polish movie and the whole thing is some sort of Polish tongue twister.) Anyway, this lady turned back to the people she was signing to and began.  As I said, I don’t sign, but to me it looked like she started strong, but then slowed down and was guessing at letters.  Eventually she just shrugged and made up something.

I have no memory of who spoke at my college graduation, or any advice or wisdom they gave.  But I will always remember some poor lady trying to spell out some long, complex name.