The interpreter cancelled. Well, she was only the backup interpreter, so I am not sure it is completely accurate to say that she cancelled. But she cancelled. And since she was my only hope, after around 19 calls and emails to different terps…. You see she was the backup interpreter, except there is no one scheduled for her to back up….
In case you have missed my previous ramblings, I am in dire need of an interpreter for Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur being this Saturday. This Saturday being 3 days away, and since I turn my phone and computer off on Friday evening….
In addition to biting off all of my fingernails, I have now called all of the interpreters that the Deaf people who are coming feel are good. Well, all of the ones that we know of.
I was scrounging around for more names and sending multiple emails “Do you know…? Would they be okay?”
I was asking friends for recommendations.
I even had a moment of brilliance and thought of a terp who is very good, and whom this family likes, but we just hadn’t come up with his name on the original list.
Excitedly, I fired off an email.
I was in luck, either he has a smart phone permanently turned on and attached to his hand, or it was his lunch hour.
Unfortunately, that was as far as my luck went, he already has a job scheduled for Saturday.
I thought of another terp.
I carefully worded my email, “What about….. Some people like him, but some people don’t.”
Within minutes, the reply came back, “NO! NO! NO!”
Well, I guess I will not be calling or emailing him.
He does terp well, it is just his personality that is an issue.
I would now start biting off my toenails, as well, but I am not that limber.
A friend emailed me “I'm at a loss. Maybe you should infiltrate the Jehova's Witnesses and learn how they make so many interpreters! “
We Jews do have a dearth of interpreters, and I might consider doing this, but I don’t’ think there is enough time left. I am also not sure if he means that I should kidnap one of their interpreters, or convert them to Judaism, and I feel rather ill equipped for either alternative, although I could try.
At least the kidnapping.
Another friend wondered how long it would take for her to become fluent enough to do this. Since she doesn’t sign at all, I told her to forget it.
But it was a kind offer!
But he did start me thinking.
Maybe we could use Aaron. My deaf son.
After all, he attends services twice a day. He knows all of the daily and Shabbat prayers, the only ones that would be unfamiliar to him would be the ones that are specific to Yom Kippur- some hymns and poems- neither of which hold much interest for the Deaf participants. Nothing personal, but this things do not translate well. Especially because they are based on repetition. Many, many repetitions of the same lines. For Deaf people, that is like nails on a blackboard, not that they would understand that comparison.
And he is personable. No, “NO! NO! NO!’s” would be proffered by anyone, well, other thank his younger sister. But she is, after all, his younger sister.
The only problem is that despite ASL being his first language, he doesn’t sign well enough.
We would probably do better sending my friend who offered for ASL lessons….
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