World-Class Junk

[Tom Cole]

Hello, Susan,

I just returned from convention and read your Part II installment; as
always, good advice and food for thought. For example, I hadn't
considered that a child might grab a sharp tool from my case and so I
will now rethink the layout therein. Thanks for the tip.

I'd like to add a few thoughts:

Avoiding Damage to Anyone and Everything:
I suffer from the delusion that I'm careful with things. I mean, I
probably wouldn't be in this business if I were a certified klutz but
where the delusion comes in is that I think I don't have to do anything
beyond just being careful. I try to disabuse myself of this notion by
remembering the time I very carefully grasped the body of an unfamiliar
microphone on a console lid and promptly bombed the music desk with the
heavy base. Good reason for having the owner do the removal and
replacement but in this case they weren't home. The point being that
(stuff) happens and all one can do is to determine, on an ongoing basis,
what can _reasonably_ be done to stave off the inevitable. I am now
educated about two-piece microphones but there is always the new and
unexpected lying in wait. I try not to be fearful and, instead, ask
myself, if I were the owner of this house, how would I want my piano
treated? and behave accordingly.

Going into expensive, white-carpeted homes is a potential problem. If I
don't know the owner, I assume that they are finicky and ask what
precautions they would like me to take before entering their house with
my tool cases. I have a sheet folded up in my vacuum cleaner/cleaning
supplies kit which does the basics of covering the floor and I'm always
alert to the customer's additional concerns. I don't carry slippers or
overshoes with me, which is a thought, thinking back to times when I've
shuffled along on an oriental rug in embarrassment trying to make size 6
zories look like they belong on my number 13 feet. But I do keep my sock
drawer in good shape and feel comfortable thus attired so slippers are,
so far, a low priority.

On what to do with case parts, I used to lean pieces against the wall
routinely until a couple of them fell over (in both cases, old Steinway
upright fallboards, one of which had _just_ been refinished). I now
almost always lay them horizontally, in some low-traffic place on carpet
or sometimes a couch, chair or on the sheet if it's a hardwood floor. If
I detect any persnickety factor, I try to take cues from the owner.

Incidentally, it's a good idea, when removing fallboards on older
Steinways, Baldwins, et al., to put down padding underneath to catch any
cheek blocks that fall. Most times, I can prevent the blocks from
falling off but the customer is not so much interested in percentages as
seeing that the technician is taking precautions.

>From what you were saying about children, maybe the best answer is to
keep them out of the room when delicate or nicely-finished piano parts
are vulnerable to curious fingers or roughhousing. There are times when
it's nice to include them in what you do, maybe at the outset if they
show interest, and then, afterwards, when it's time for you to go to
work, encourage their parent(s) to keep them away because you can't do
your best if your attention is divided like that. It may be their house
but it's your workspace.

Enough for one night. I'm recovering from jet lag (or is it jet lead?).
Anyhow, Ah'm tard. Providence was a great convention, as well as a
wonderful city to visit. And now it's great to be home.

Best Regards,

Tom