DEAR ABBY: I wonder if it would be too much to ask to have salespeople and other businesspeople speak a little more slowly and clearly? I wish there were something I could wear, like a pink button or something, to show that I can hear, but not very well. People who can't see have the white-tipped canes, so why not something for those of us who have difficulty hearing?
I have gone the route of hearing aids, but all they do is amplify the sound. They do nothing to clarify it.
Many large businesses like Sears, J.C. Penney, etc. employ young girls with accents who speak in very high-pitched tones that are impossible to hear, and they usually get angry if you ask them to repeat themselves.
It's just a thought, but if someone could think of a universal signal to let people know they have trouble hearing, a great number of people would thank you. -- BETTYE MEEKER, MCKENZIE BRIDGE, ORE.
DEAR BETTYE: Many people have some degree of hearing loss, which is nothing to be ashamed of. The solution to your problem would be to simply tell the salespeople (or strangers) that you have a slight hearing loss and would appreciate it if they would speak a little slower and more distinctly.