Service on the Beach

[Ray T. Bentley]

Terry, your story reminds me of some that were told in Denele Pitts
Campbell's book Notes of a Piano Tuner.  I remember that you posted that her
book inspired you in your quest to become a tuner.  I purchased and read it
just recently, too.  Now you have a good story for your own book!  (I drove
96 miles RT today to pick up a 100 year old action from a cattle and hog
farmer.)  I guess we all have our own stories!  I think the people
themselves provide at least fifty percent of our job satisfaction, don't
you?

Ray

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ray T. Bentley, RPT
Registered Piano Tuner-Technician
Alton, IL
ray@bentley.net
www.ray.bentley.net

The difficult, I do right away.  The impossible takes a little longer!


----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 02, 2003 8:16 PM
Subject: Service on the Beach


> I drove 110 miles round trip today (Sunday) to tune one piano. Isn't that
ridiculous?
>
> I had inspected the piano for purchase a month or so ago. They kinda
begged me to come to their house in the future to tune it. They told me to
bring my wife and kids. Well, wife could not go, but my son came with me.
What wonderful people. The old guy ran up and down the beach with my son
while I tuned. They live right on the beach on Anna Maria Island (just south
of St. Petersburg, Florida). The lady asked my to stop tuning several times
so I could watch a couple groups of dolphin (Flipper type) play just
offshore and while a couple huge blue herons came begging for food on her
back porch. My son ran in several times to show us parrot fish, sea urchins,
and coconuts that he had found along the beach. Had a marvelous long chat
with the lady about life, love, children (mostly about my WONDERFUL son) and
unequal tuning temperaments (she loved the Moore temperament I used). Then
we played tennis ball catch with BIG doggie for a while, packed up the
stinky dead fish, etc. (trip!
> le bagged 'em), stopped up the road for a great grouper dinner out on the
pier, and drove home.
>
> Made a couple bucks. Had a great day with my son. Enjoyed wonderful warm
company. Played on the beach. Man, this beats the 9 to 5 grind at the office
any day. What a blast! What on earth did I ever do to deserve this?  :-)
>
> And thanks to Jon Page for recommending my services to Mr. & Mrs. Hall.
Thanks Jon!
>
> Terry Farrell
>
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