Badly Treated

I had recently wrote about being disregarded by my deaf friend, who is my former student. It reminded me of another deaf student who ran away from me when he disregarded my advise, and his life turned around. His mother has been telling me he became a problem that he was caught in the streets lying because of drunkenness.

Well, it happens when you're disregarded but I can't help but become sad because of their impulsiveness. What made me more sad is the bad treatment of some of my deaf friends.

I am involved in sign language community, and even a volunteer in a vocational school for people with disabilities.

I had this deaf friend who is a brother of my very close friend. I'm not the one who became his teacher but he's among those deaf people I got associated with. In fact, he is helping in teaching other deaf people too.

I'll call him "Jr". Back then, he's always had misunderstandings and quarrel with a female deaf person I call "S". Eventually, they become close friends, and even call each other BFF. Okay, there's no problem them being best friends. The problem is "S" is a bad influence, and a manipulator. "Jr" even had a quarrel with his brother (my close friend) because of the influence of "S". He even became disrespectful towards his mother, that he's very close to disowning them because of "S". He's brainwashed badly that he sacrificed his family for "S", when the latter never gave anything to him.

Recently, he sent a video on our group chat, drunk and accused us. It's an harrassment to our group that he accused us wrongfully. Made up words by "S" might have caused it. He even mentioned his anger and hate towards his brother, another friend of ours, and he even angrily mentioned me that I have been teaching him before but I already stopped. First of all, I am not his teacher, and I just share some knowledge. He's not my responsibility, and he should know that.

"R" is also a friend of "Jr", and the husband of "S". We had a close friendship back then that he helped me teaching other deaf people. When he has problems, I helped him. I don't have responsibility on him even I served as his substitute teacher, and he knows that. He even gave me high regards that even when he had a fallout with his friends including "Jr", I'm the last person he talked to before leaving temporarily.

He came back after a year, and he looked up to me to tell me his problems. I helped him get a license from Land Transportation Office (LTO) a number of times. Whenever I ride his tricycle, I do pay or give higher than expected. That's because his mother is irresponsible that I feel bad for him.

When he got married with "S" I helped them to prepare their requirements from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). I even registered their marriage certificate in the municipal civil registry. I took over some of his outfits for the wedding, souvenir, and served as their sign language interpreter.

But I realized, his marriage with "S" didn't make him a good person. His attitude towards us has changed because of false stories and influence of "S". Less than a year ago, "R" had an accident, and I helped in collecting funds for his medicine and their needs.

Two weeks ago, he also sent a video in our GC, apparently drunk with some threats towards the brother of "Jr". He even angrily mentioned me for not helping him and his wife anymore, that I am the cause of their hardships in life. First of all, I now have a responsibility because I am already married, and I don't have responsibility on them. I just kept the video because I was thinking to blotter them for my life seeing his reaction on the video just in case something happens on me.

It makes me feel bad that with all those things that happened, I wanted to stop with my association with deaf people but I shouldn't generalize them. Just because some deaf individuals has treated me badly, it doesn't mean everyone are like that. I have other deaf friends who are kind, whom I should focus on.