The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SERVING THE DEAF

BRUCE HOGAN WAS THE PROCESS SERVER FOR YOUR GRANDFATHER, HOWARD
PHILIPPART, WHO REPRESENTED ALL THE DEAF MUTES IN THE STATE OF
MICHIGAN. BRUCE SERVED A NUMBER OF DEAF MUTES AND HE WOULD
CARRY A PAD AND PAPER WITH HIM TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM WITH
NOTES. ONE DAY, HE WENT TO THE DOOR OF A DEAF CLIENT, RANG THE
BELL, ACTIVATED A LIGHT INSIDE THE HOUSE AND WAITED. EVENTUALLY,
THE DOOR WAS ANSWERED BY A WOMAN WITH A PAD AND PAPER. THE
CONVERSATION WENT LIKE THIS:
IS MR. JONES AT HOME?
NO, HE IS NOT.
WILL MR. JONES BE HOME TONIGHT?
NO, HE WON'T.
DOES MR. JONES EVER COME HOME?
I DON'T KNOW IF HE DOES OR NOT.
WHEN HE COMES IN PLEASE WRITE ME.
MAYBE I WILL, MAYBE I WON'T.
PUTTING HIS PAD AWAY MR. HOGAN FRUSTRATEDLY TURNED AND ABSENT
MINDEDLY SAID GOOD BYE. SHE ANSWERED WITH A VERBAL GOODBYE
AND A GUFFAW AS SHE CLOSED THE DOOR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1940