[pianotech] undisciplined kids

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Many years back a customer brought her rather badly behaving six year old to
my shop where we discussed the repairs being made to the action of her
piano. He son immediately started terrorizing everything he could reach. No
matter how I may feel internally, externally I'm usually fairly
mild-mannered about these things-at least I used to be-but in this case I
did ask her several times to please keep her child from damaging pianos
owned by others. It did little good; she seemed oblivious to the destructive
antics of her child. Until.. 

 

I was standing with my back to the workbench holding the action from her
piano and had just given her some quotes about how much various repairs
would cost when her child gave a few of the keys a good, solid whack with
both hands and about a half-dozen hammers along with their attached-but now
broken-hammershanks came sailing over my head. Into the sudden silence as
they landed and bounced along the floor I added, ".and repairing the broken
hammershanks will add about $10 each." 

 

The corrective actions were swift and firm and the little brat was a model
of good behavior throughout the rest of the visit.

 

ddf

 

Delwin D Fandrich

Piano Design & Fabrication

6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA

Phone  360.515.0119 - Cell  360.388.6525

del at fandrichpiano.com  <mailto:del at fandrichpiano.com> - ddfandrich at gmail.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Nereson
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2013 1:53 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] undisciplined kids

 

   The customer calls and wants an assessment of their piano, how much work
it will need, what condition it's in, how much it will cost.  So you go and
do your estimate and the dreaded 7 year old comes in and starts pounding on
the keys.  Then you call the parent to give them your assessment, and while
you're trying to talk to them, they allow the kid to keep pounding away on
the keys.  They make absolutely no effort to make the kid stop so you can
hear yourself think, hear the customer, and speak in a normal tone of voice.
I just don't get it!  ("Oh, we can't stifle his creativity; we can't
interrupt his precious expression of musical feeling."). 
     I glance back and forth between the client and the kid, giving every
possible body language indication that it's really hindering my ability to
communicate with them and remain professional.  But no, he's just an
innocent kid; it would be inhumane to make him stop. Today I almost reached
over to sweep his arms away from the keys, but stopped myself.   I just
don't get it.  If I were the insurance adjuster or tax accountant, or even
Grandpa, would they let the kid bang away like that when we're trying to
talk?  AAArrrggghhh!!@#%#$%^#^#@!!!!!
    --David Nereson, RPT 

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