Starbucks barista spent months learning ASL so deaf customer could order just like everyone else
'It's just something that really gave me genuine happiness...' the deaf customer confessed.
Ibby Piracha, a deaf customer at a Starbucks in Virginia, was shocked when a barista said she had learned the American Sign Language (ASL) so he could have the same experience ordering like everybody else. Yes, that's right! Krystal Payne, the barista, had only served Ibby once before she decided to go home and learn sign language online, CBS Sunday Morning reported.
When Ibby reached the coffee shop, he went to the counter to place his order, but then saw Payne hand him a piece of paper. "I thought maybe she had a question for me or something, but it really wasn't a question at all, and as I read through it, it shocked me," he recalled. Ibby immediately posted a picture of the note, which read, "I have been learning ASL, so you can have the same experience as everyone else." Payne confessed she spent at least three hours learning the sign language and said if Ibby were a regular customer at the store, she would love to communicate with him better. "I should be able to at least ask him what he wants to drink," she added. Payne went above and beyond just to ensure that Ibby didn't feel less than everybody else because of his limitations. While she said it's no big deal for her, Ibby, the deaf man, was so moved by her gesture that he even saved her note. "It was something that was very inspirational, so I wanted to keep it in a frame," he said. "It's just something that really gave me genuine happiness," Ibby added.
People with hearing disabilities often have a hard time communicating with others, especially those who are just too insensitive. In fact, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People found that nearly 2 out of every 3 people (67%) in the deaf community confessed that, in the past year (2024), they have experienced negative behavior or attitude. What's more shocking is the fact that about half (48%) of the respondents reported that their own families have treated them badly. In a world where even family and friends don't let go of an opportunity to make them feel lesser, people like Payne stand as a hope for humanity.
Meanwhile, reacting to the story, @masey423 commented, "When I was a cashier, I had a woman come in who I believe was deaf/HH or possibly could hear but not speak. She gestured to me, showing she had 2 croissants in her bakery bag. I rang up the order and made sure to face her whenever I had a question, and when I told her the total. At the end, she signed 'Thank you,' and I signed 'You're welcome' right back. I'll never forget the way her face lit up throughout our interaction. Learning ASL and learning about deaf/HH is so rewarding for both hearing and deaf people!"
Echoing the sentiments, @sparkymularkey6970 shared, "This is so inspiring! I've been learning ASL in hopes of talking to a deaf customer we have at the comic book shop. He doesn't know it yet, but I'm so excited to be able to finally talk to him properly." Praising the lady, @adamkahn8645 wrote, "Okay, so yeah, I'm crying. ASL is far from easy, and she went WAY out of her way to make her deaf patron feel exactly the same as every other customer. Thank God for people like this." Another user, @jaker3151, commented, "She learned that skill for him, but she has that skill for life now. It will come in handy at some point, and in the future, it may bring a bit of joy to someone else, too."
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