When to turn around and leave

[Geoff Sykes]

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Guy --
=20
Exactly the kind of response I was hoping for. Mostly I'm glad to have =
it
confirmed that many of us have these experiences, and that none of us =
will
be chastised by our fellow PTG'ers should we occasionally make that =
decision
to "not find out". I frequently enjoy experiencing both the surreal and =
the
weird. They can be quite entertaining. But when they're not ya just =
gotta go
with your instincts and run.
=20
Thanks for your response and the support. And the story. Very much a =
"run"
kind of surreal.
=20
-- Geoff Sykes
-- Assoc. Los Angeles
=20
=20
=20

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On =
Behalf
Of Nichols
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 6:23 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: When to turn around and leave


At 09:59 AM 12/30/2005 -0800, you wrote:


OK, gang. Here's my last question for this year. Is there a filth level =
at
which point you refuse to work on the piano? Or, for that matter, even =
enter
the home?
 <SNIP>
So, have any of you ever refused to enter a home because of filth? Or
refused to work on a piano because there was more dirt inside than you =
were
willing to take care of? Or perhaps even just because you get a real bad
vibe from the people? And what do you tell them?
=20
-- Geoff Sykes
-- Assoc. Los Angeles


Geoff,
   The key to the answer for your question(s) is that you need to know =
in
advance where your tolerance level stands. Because..... the standing in =
the
doorway dithering thing is what gets you in the door. If you have a firm
idea in mind of what your willing to put up with, then you don't need an
excuse, or an argument, or a debate, or even to be judgmental. Really. =
If
you can tell from outside, then turn around and leave. Call the customer
from the next block and suggest they find someone else, and you're sorry =
to
have altered their schedule. If you can tell when the door opens, or as =
you
are entering, then just say "Please call someone else" and leave. No
comment, no discussion, no response to taunting or derogatory remarks. =
Just
leave.
  The thing is, and there's quite a bit written on the subject, that you
need to react to YOUR reality window and priority system. Not theirs. We =
all
know the phrase "Lack of planning on your part doesn't constitute an
emergency on my part", and the priority system you live by is the same
thing. Knowing it ahead of time saves you a lot of heartache and stress. =
You
don't even have to think about it afterwards. You did the "right" thing =
for
you and your life, and no one got hurt.=20
  Yeah, some of these calls are people who need music and understanding, =
but
some are major health hazards that aren't worth dying for!
  I think one of my worst was a move of a three-legged spinet from a =
mobile
near a KOA camp. The place was full of drunk bikers, and the orange shag
carpet squished when you walked on it, although it was hard to tell if =
was
beer or cat pee. Started to shift the piano and two legs fell off. =
Luckily,
it was a mini, and my help that day was up to the task of just setting =
it
over onto the board, which was still on the dolly, because the ONLY =
thing
that was getting on that floor was the wheels. Whew. When we got the =
truck
moving away from that place, my helper turned and said "That was =
surreal."
Yup.
   Anyway, a phrase I've used, (and was a class title many years ago) is
"Let's NOT find out."
As in... let's not find out if I mind 10 yappy dogs, squishy carpets, a
thousand teddy bears, patchouli o.d., polka practice, or a steady stream =
of
narcotics customers. Split. Chill. Say "NEXT!"


later,
Guy=20


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