Appt. Danger (partly off topic)

[Farrell]

Comments below:

----- Original Message -----
From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 7:29 AM
Subject: Re: Appt. Danger (partly off topic)


> Terry and all,
>
> Each of us looks at life through a collection of experiences we have had,
> combined with influences that have come our way.  When I was a boy my
parents
> never locked the house until they were robbed.  Only then did we start
locking
> the doors, the most obvious ones at least.  <G>  Same thing with my first
full
> job at a feed mill.  We always left the truck keys stuck in the ignition
all the
> time (that's even illegal now, I think) until a robber rolled the company
safe
> onto a truck to take it to a nearby woods to force it open.

One could point out that this is what I was getting at. What gives you the
right to enter someone's home uninvited? They did make an appointment, but I
think there is an inherent assumption that they will be home - unless
otherwise stated. An appointment is an agreed time to meet and tune a
piano - I do not believe it is safe to assume it is an invitation to enter a
home when no one home (unless that is explicitly agreed to). I think it goes
well beyond the matter of whether it is "OK", I believe it is a matter of
respect for someone's privacy. If I ask my wife for her car keys, she may
say "they are in my purse". I do not go through her purse, but rather give
the purse to her and she will dig them out - again, simply a matter of
respecting someone's privacy.

> I live in an area where some clients will tell me where they've hidden the
key.
> Some will leave the house unlocked for me, even if I won't arrive until
the
> afternoon.  Some will tell me not to lock the house when I'm finished
because
> the kids will soon be home from school.  A few offer the information that
they
> never lock the house.  A few  will leave a blank check signed and lying on
the
> piano.

I have done all these things - and in a metropolitan area of Florida! But
this is not what we had talked about. In all these cases, the home/piano
owner is fully aware of what is going on, and has made all the decisions
themselves. My objection is when the home owner is not aware that the piano
technician will be entering their home without their knowledge. Maybe the
lady of the house, having forgot about the appointment, will have left her
breast prosthesis or sex toy or personal photographs or cash or divorce
papers out somewhere near the piano. These may well be things she/he prefers
not to share with the piano technician. These are examples of why I believe
one is violating another's privacy by going into a home without an explicit
invitation.

> I have a section in my most recent newsletter entitled "What if I can't be
home
> during the day when you want to come?"  The only comment I've received
from that
> was said in amusement that I mention I might use the bathroom or get a
drink of
> water.
>
> It is with a degree of sadness that I see the way society has changed for
the
> worse in some ways, although some changes have been very positive and I
applaud
> them.  But why do we assume that those who still want to trust their
neighbors
> deserve to be ripped off for being so stupid?  I suspect that if I
described
> society as it used to be, many would totally disbelieve me.  Why do we
assume
> that there is no going back, that those who wish for a better way are
ignorant
> and out of touch with the times?

Yeah, and lynchings were commonplace too.

> I think I know, but no one seems to want to talk about it.  It involves
societal
> and personal philosophies and religious faith, and of course we "know"
those
> areas are taboo for public discussion, especially for those of us who have
a
> conservative leaning.  We've committed ourselves to a philosophy that will
bring
> us greater and greater problems, but it never occurs to us to take another
look
> at where what we legislate is taking us.

Hmmmm. And I have always thought that those of us with liberal leanings best
keep our mouth shut.

> Regards,
> Clyde

We are getting into tender territory here Clyde - likely best to avoid. But
regarding the home-entry thing, I mean no animosity with my comments. I
simply think that it is not proper to ever enter a home without the
home-owner (or designated representative - like the maid) saying "please
come in" (whether that is when you knock on the door, or when you make the
appointment and they tell you that the key will be under the mat and to just
go in).

Terry Farrell

> Farrell wrote:
>
> > Hmmmm. Well, I see no one else has agreed with me. That hasn't changed
my
> > mind. I would never do it, nor would I appreciate anyone entering my
home
> > when I was not there - even if I forgot the appointment. I would rather
they
> > leave a bill for the service charge.
> >
> > Obviously different folks have different outlooks on things. Boy, I
always
> > thought I was one of the most easy going folks around. Hmmmm. I'll have
to
> > take another look at that! Just be careful. Good luck!  :-)
>