"Take That CART And Shove It?” and “Dad, Your Ears Are Dirty!"

By Monette Benoit

All Rights Reserved.

Years ago, thousands chanted: “Take this job and ….” Has anyone here diligently worked with new technology, boundaries. Have you, too, worked multiple uncompensated hours to prepare, organized the event, CARTed to a large screen with new names, words, acronyms? Have you ever felt it all uncoil in an instant, in public? Ever felt verbally slapped? I’m grateful that I live in a country where people are free to express themselves. Yet I have “a dream,” many.

While flying to CART a job, I was reading the airline magazine. A note was penned: “Dad has the following in his ears: (a) wax; (b) blackheads; (c) dirt; (d) puss; (e) all the above.” Below in all caps: “Dad, your ears are dirty; it’s number (e)!” What does a man do when a child has written him a note like this, in an airplane? I giggled, wondered, ‘and’ what were those ears like?

What’s my point here? I know CART is still new to some. I’ve spent hours, months, years (as others), educating, sharing, explaining. When I remember incidents where I felt verbally slapped, the comments came from ‘hearing’ people who did not need, want and/or utilize the CART services upon which they’re commenting. Their words were loudly tossed across a room, often with the ‘hearing’ person laughing, opining.

Two recent events leave me stunned. Those who know what ‘should have been said and/or done’ have the benefit of knowing from your chair, not in realtime. At the end of a week-long convention, just before the finale, everyone took a break. I had been arriving, departing, the hotel in the dark. I hadn’t seen the sun in days. After months of prepping; I saw a light at the end of that tunnel. I was proud of the work, job, responses from the audience.

A woman approached in the large hotel lobby, finger pointed, raised voice. “Man, I would never want you on my murder trial!” (Her exact words, honest.) I froze. Then I realized she ‘was’ speaking to me! I tipped my head, asking, “Hummm, why is that?” She said, louder, “Because you don’t get it word for word!” I giggled, then saw hand on each hip, shoulders back. Everyone froze; people held elevators, employees stood still. She continued, “And you substitute ‘some’ words. And you spell words you don’t have in that computer. And I wouldn’t want you as my court reporter!”

The gauntlet was tossed. I stood tall, replying slowly, “Let me share about my services, skills; what I’ve been doing this past week.” (International speakers, accents, topics, almost every hour.) After explaining CART, communication access realtime technology, people leaned in to listen. Finally she laughed, “Wow, I’m so glad I told you. Now I can get a good night’s sleep!” I blinked hard, smiled, “Thank you for permitting me to share.” She stepped into a fully populated elevator; I returned to work.

Yes, some who had scheduled CART, did appear somewhat horrified. When the convention ended, I was still gritting my teeth. Later ‘she’ re-entered the room, dramatically waved, pointed at me to her companions. The consumers who needed CART, shook their heads. Later consumers shared their daily frustrations. Later I received my hugs, packed my equipment. Again consumers reminded me ‘why’ I do this; ‘why’ I arrived before dark, missed more than my share of food that week, why I work so hard. My sacrifices, commitment, to completion of the job, paid off when they promised they would request CART for all future events, locally and nationally. What could I have ‘done’ to prevent that? If one is writing for a ‘crowd’ to a large screen, we don’t always have an opportunity to address the audience. What should have been different? I’m still thinking on it.

Shortly thereafter, I was asked to accompany a reporter to present in a large university. They specifically requested their guest speakers to “focus on technology.” The reporter specifically requested I share about CART. I specifically prepped to share a history of CAT, captioning, CART, methodically launching into technology. Adults were seated as we entered. I dragged another chair, table, unpacked equipment – again, while others watched. Just another day at the office for me. I smiled at a few adults who watched all my bending(s). The professor, her associates, were seated with superiors.

It was smooth sailing. Students listened intently; professors nodded, took notes on their clipboards. At the end of my presentation, the professor asked: “Can they see your equipment and screen” where I had been CARTing earlier. “Sure,” I replied. Students leaped toward me.

When class ended, students ran to the door. Suddenly, swiftly, the professor, waving one arm, laughing, loudly, said, “Now do you ‘see’ the difference? Our first speaker gets the record word for word. Monette only summarizes! That’s the difference. Monette’s just summarizing up there.” Everyone exploded with laughter. I thought I’d been slapped. Should I correct the instructor, as everyone exited? Should I comment while she’s with peers, supervisors? I quickly assessed this scenario in realtime, looked up, everyone was gone. It was as if they’d gone up in smoke. I was furious. I had clearly explained what we do, how we do ‘it’, how ‘we’ CART, working with court reporters, consumers, the public. Yet a loud, public comment about “Monette just summarizing” ended our presentations.

I know thigh-by-thigh reporting in the trenches is the best. I know I’ll need to continue educating, sharing. I know I’ll need to return another long distance call to explain again to hearing people ‘what it is I really do’. Yet I do yearn for a time when people are as familiar with CART as they are with court, depositions and now captioning. We are blessed to have choices so many never have had. Take that CART and shove it? No, not yet. “Dad, has the following in his ears …” What a great country.

PS: After this was written, my husband’s family gathered for a wedding.

During dinner, Andre’s sister arrived from a large U.S. city. Sister leaned down the long table: “I know a reporter who takes notes in a college for a student.”

Monette smiled: “That’s great.”

Sister: “She’s not in court or anything. She’s ‘just’ taking notes.”

Everyone waited. Monette cautiously: “If she’s a court reporter in a college with a student, she’s probably CARTing.”

Sister laughing, loudly, “Oh, no. She’s not technical like you;” whereupon, I froze.

Sister: “The reporter says she ‘just’ takes her ‘stuff’ to the college and ‘does notes’. Those are ‘her’ exact words!

I blinked, smiled at all my in-laws, “That’s nice.”

About the Author:

Monette Benoit, B.B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, is a JCR Contributing Editor for the National Court Reporters Association, NCRA, author of multiple books to include the state and national CSR, RPR, RMR ‘Written Knowledge Exam’ textbook, workbook, study guide, ‘CRRT WKT’ CD and the ‘CATapult Your Dictionary’ CD series. Books, CDs and articles may be referenced www.CRRbooks.com and Monette's Musings, www.monettebenoit.com

Monette is a tutor, coach, consultant, realtime court reporter and CART provider. She teaches, tutors and coaches home-study students and professionals. Monette speaks to groups at state, national and international conventions about motivation, technology, expanding skills and Deaf, Oral Deaf, Hard of Hearing.

Monette may be reached at: www.CATapultdix.com, www.CRRbooks.com and www.ARTCS.com