Lots of people make friends with their co-workers. Few go so far as to learn a second language to communicate with them.

That’s the story of Timothy Lopez and Brandon Bearce.

The duo have been hauling away piles of discarded furniture, yard debris and other materials for three years as employees of 1-800-GOT- JUNK?, a junk removal service with a branch in Stanislaus County.

The first time they met, Bearce was “a little skeptical” about working with Lopez, his randomly assigned partner on a junk removal truck.

Lopez, 25, was born deaf and has limited speech because of his disability.

Bearce’s doubts were erased when he saw Lopez in action.