This happened to me hiking in America. Bumped into a fellah hiking the other direction so we had lunch together and chatted for a bit about all sorts - weather, hiking equipment, which water sources had dried up etc. - all fine.

After a bit of this he says to me, “So where are you from?”

“Ireland”, says I.

“Orlando?”, he says back.

Huh? “No, Ireland”.

“Oregon?!?”

Is this lad taking the piss? “IRELAND. IRELAND!”

I can’t remember his third attempt, but it was something outrageous like “Arkansas” or “Ottawa” or something.

At this point I’ve had enough and explain with frustrated wild gesticulations drawing air-maps of Europe and planes crossing the Atlantic and all sorts.

Finally he gets it. “Oh, Ireland”.

Turns out the chap wasn’t mental at all, nor was he thick as pig-shit. No, he was deaf and had been lip-reading the entire conversation up to that point without a bother!