If you are profoundly deaf

you are not going to hear the "public address" announcement on the railway station platform. Let me explain.

I had to be out and about yesterday. It involved multiple train journeys.  A couple arrived. They were signing to each other. They clearly expected to catch the train. 

Then there was an announcement about an "incident". The train would be coming - eventually. This came over the public address system. The woman had clearly heard a noise but shrugged as the man signed a query to her. I took a deep breath and used my very limited sign language to try and explain. My effort was met with signs and smiles in return. 

The really nice thing about this was their delight in finding a hearing person who was at least willing to try and communicate. We had a halting conversation and I found out they had come a very long distance indeed for a meeting of deaf people who use sign language as their primary means of communication. They went on to ask if their interstate pension cards would work here and I showed them the sort of card they would need. Fortunately they had those too. I even managed to explain they must validate their trip by holding it against the reader. I thought that would be it. Not so. 

Now there are two types of trains on this line. One stops at all stations and the other runs "express" from about half way along the line. The train which runs "express" was the one which was delayed. The board which indicates the trains coming in was already showing the train which stops at all stations but it was not the train which would be coming. They were looking at the board and something made me tell them the train coming in was an express train. They would need to get off at one station and catch the train coming in from the spur line to get to where they wanted to go. 

I still cannot quite believe it but I somehow managed to make them understand this. They left the train at the correct station and gave me a wave and a signed "thank you". 

I came back later than I intended because of the earlier delay. As I was getting off the train there they were too. The man immediately signed that they had managed their journey and that they had been for a very long walk. We laughed with one another as he told me they were very tired. His partner shook her head and told me he would be good after a cup of tea. They were going back to the caravan they were staying in at the campsite not far from here.  

We smiled at one another again. I felt very comfortable with them by then. I was relieved I had been able to help but I do wish the railways provided visual as well as auditory information...and even their auditory information could be improved.