I'll Tell You Later

"I'll tell you later": The most damaging promise a hearing family member can make to a Deaf person. For centuries, Deaf people were expected to sit quietly at the table when their hearing families shared a meal. Some might have asked the person sitting nearby, "What are they saying?" The usual response? "I'll tell you later." When the meal is done, the Deaf person would naturally follow up: "What did they say?" The usual response? "I'm sorry I forgot." Only recently was this transgression given a name: Dinner Table Syndrome. In this anthology, nineteen Deaf and hard of hearing writers share their DTS experiences of anguish and defiance through essays, short stories, and poems, all of which illuminate what it means to be left starving at mealtime. A.J. Chilson | Michael Davidson | Pamela Decker-Wright | Donald A. Grushkin | Kristen Harmon | Cristina Hartmann | Christopher Jon Heuer | Jer Loudenback | Raymond Luczak | Dominic McGreal | André Pellerin | Kris Ringman | Doris Says | Tonya Marie Stremlau | John David Walker | Jacob Waring | Steven Wilhelm | Rachel Zemach | Garrett Zuercher