Tough jobs and Hearing

[FirTree@aol.com]

>Some jobs in this business are easy some are very difficult.  This past
>week I had to do the hardest job there is.  No, not the "I'm sorry lady
>your piano has died."  That's maybe the second hardest.  The one I had to
>do was "I'm sorry lady, your piano is fine, you are loosing your hearing."
>
>

I've had a couple of tough ones that way. After sitting through Joe Garrett's
class on hearing loss, I've changed my tactics.

As soon as I detect a turn in the conversation that tells me the clients
hearing could be lacking, I launch into prepared statement #537 (while
sounding natural all the while).

"You know, we all start losing our hearing from the time we are born, and all
hearing loss is cumulative and permanent. Most people lose the top end first,
and I have met many people who can't hear the top couple of notes very
well..."

I like to tell such people the story of one client, whose instructions read,
"Go in the front door and yell real loud, I will be in the back working
without my hearing aids in." She could hear nothing but a thwack from middle
C up, but wanted the piano tuned for her granddaughter who visited.

I like Steve Brady's at 40 years, etc. A key thing is to let the client
decide it may be their hearing at fault.

David Stocker
firtree@aol.com
Tumwater, WA

Q. What do drummers get on their IQ tests?
A. Drool.