Do you think this guy is actually deaf?

Do you honestly believe a guy should be walking around your local dive bar putting a little sign on the table just to let you know he’s deaf? Like, "Hey, I can't hear you, so maybe go ahead and grab a lighter or a calendar from me since I'm actually deaf..." Give me a break.

Some people just love to play pretend

I’ve got a feeling the guy terrorizing Tkalča isn't deaf, but I still drop a couple of bucks in his hat every time.
😬

I don't buy into any of that nonsense, and I certainly don't give them a dime... I still remember this one woman who fell hook, line, and sinker for the whole act $6.75—she was sitting in some local diner when someone shoved a bunch of props and a cardboard sign claiming to be deaf right under her nose... and then, after a little while, she actually caught the person talking away to someone else like nothing was wrong ☕
I’ve also seen another woman wandering around the halls of the Mayo Clinic, acting the part and collecting cash by pretending to be deaf, only for me to spot her later at a different spot acting completely normal...

As if any of that actually matters...

Look, these people are just trying to get by, and if you decide to give something, you’re giving it to a person, not some nameless, faceless void or someone who can't even respond...
Honestly, I couldn't care less whether they hear me or not. If I feel like helping, I help; if I don't, I don't. It's that simple.
I don't see it as some kind of scam. And hey, if it turns out to be one? Well, that’s on their own conscience and their own soul, isn't it?
Besides, I’m already coming out ahead anyway because I’m not out here begging for scraps...

I make it a point to regularly assist those who are clearly struggling with physical deficiencies.
Now, whether these individuals are genuinely oblivious or simply choosing to remain silent, I honestly can't say. For the last few years, there’s been a woman stationed near the hospital entrance holding up signs, practically shoving them under everyone's noses. I can't recall if anyone actually stepped up to help her.
Personally, I found the idea of just handing out cash at a medical center to be quite foolish; after all, healthcare isn't cheap.😢

That little coaster would make a perfect base for my mug so it
doesn't slide all over the bar. Hey, bartender, put a round on this guy's tab for the whole pub—I'll
pay you back when my paycheck finally clears.

Lean in and whisper it in his ear, then see what happens.

redsurfer13 said:Whisper it directly in his ear and see if he notices then.

He’s ready for it. He’ll just pretend he didn't hear if it suits him.🙄

Douglas Gray8 said:he’s totally ready for it, though he'll probably just play deaf if things get too loud🙄

Or he might just go deaf altogether...

Sam Lee2 said:Not that it really matters...

These people are actually struggling—and if you decide to help, you're helping a person, not some helpless, voiceless entity without a leg to stand on...
Honestly, I couldn't care less whether they hear me or not. If I feel like giving, I give. If I don't, I don't. It's that simple.
I don't see it as a scam. Even if it turns out to be one, that’s their moral burden to carry, not mine...
Besides, I'm already starting from a much better position because I'm not out here begging...

Exactly. Sure, there's always that nagging question of what they’ll actually spend the money on, but that’s hardly my concern. Once the money leaves my hands, it isn't my problem anymore.