Stupid Mistake

[Mike Bratcher]

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I have a funny delivery story.  This happened before I was a full time =
tuner. =20

This was an early summer evening, about dusk.  We were delivering a =
spinet to an older couple.  As we arrived and first walked in with the =
piano, we got a strong smell of freshly baked cookies.  MMMMmmmmmm.  My =
partner and I were eyeing each other with a nod, to confirm, we are =
getting COOKIES.

The house had an odd shape to it.  There was a hallway leading off to =
the left, just inside the front door.  At the end of the hallway there =
was a step down into the living room.  The step, however, was at a 45 =
degree angle to the room and hallway. On both sides of the step there =
was a brief railing.  The rail was parallel with the front of the step.  =
Hard to describe, but not super important to the story.

Anyway, as I hauled the dolly back to the truck and pick up the =
paperwork for the customers to sign, my partner was inside explaining =
piano care and answering any questions they had.  This conversation was =
going on right at the step.  I made it back into the room just in time =
to hear the end of Q & A time.  We were taking our time because we were =
positive we were getting cookies.  And yup, just then the man of the =
house was walking down the hallway with a large plate of cookies.  Did I =
mention the railing?  My partner caught a glimpse of the man coming down =
the hallway.  As my partner turned to receive his reward the railing =
caught him in the gut and folded him over at the waist.  Of course no =
piano mover would be caught dead on the floor.  So, to catch himself, my =
partner put his hand right in the middle of the plate of cookies.  Not a =
good idea.  Not only did my partner go down, he took out the plate of =
cookies AND the old man. =20

The speed a which this happened with the accompanying "gulp" from the =
rail to the gut made this a story worth repeating.

Mike Bratcher
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: SUSAN P SWEARINGEN=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2002 12:15 PM
  Subject: Stupid Mistake


  Hi everyone.  I had my first little accident as a piano technician =
yesterday.  I'm fairly new to the business and this is my first mishap =
so I'm feeling a little guilty about it.

  Here is what happened.

  After tuning a 3-year old Yamaha U3 upright, I was placing the front =
board back in place when it slipped out of my hands and crashed into and =
on top of the piano.  It caused some minor rubbing on the finish but =
thank goodness it was only on the surface and it buffed out just fine.  =
The owner was standing nearby when all this happened so it was quite =
emabarrasing.  I thought everything was ok but the owner called me the =
next day saying the very left note (A0) was not playing.  She flipped =
open the top lid and peered in and saw that the A0 hammer was missing, =
just a broken hammer shank left.

  Of course, I'll be taking care of this little problem at no charge but =
I feel like such an idiot over the whole thing.

  I think it would be very theraputic to hear a few stories of similar =
mishaps when you more experienced folk were just starting out. =20

  How about it?

  Corte Swearingen
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