Overcharge?

[JElving@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/11/98 2:20:37 PM EST, lessmith@buffnet.net writes:

<<  I used to know a tuner
 named "Bob". >>

My, Bob certainly gets around. Only difference is, mine was a younger tuner,
an apprentice, who was called out to tune a church piano. (This was the
infamous ''Church of the Broken Bass String''.) The piano in question (or
questionable piano, as the case may be), was complete with several broken bass
and treble strings to repair. Bob did his repairs and tuning, and as was his
custom, left the bill with the church secretary.

After about 1 1/2 months, he sent out the ''past due'' notice to the church.
Still no payment. He then called the church secretary and was assured that
payment would be sent out immediately.

After all of this, there was still no payment. Being the innovative person he
is, Bob went to church there one Sunday morning for worship services. As soon
as the service was over, Bob went forward, not as you might think. He walked
up, took out his tools, and started ''de-tuning'' the piano. 

The horrified pastor hurriedly rushed up from where he was greeting
parishioners and asked what was going on. Bob explained that he had tuned and
replaced several broken strings, and had not been paid for his labors.
Therefore, he was putting the piano back in the shape it was when he got
there. He would tune it the way that it was, and remove the new strings,
which, after all, did still belong to him.

At that point the pastor pulled out his personal checkbook and wrote a check
for all of the original fees, the past due charges, and a service call to
attend worship and collect the bill.

How did I find out about it? Bob and I were discussing the fact that I hadn't
been paid for much the same work done a couple of years later. I really wish I
had had Bob's moxie. Instead they kept calling me to schedule more work. Of
course I wouldn't schedule a time until they promised to pay what they owed me
in cash, plus have a check ready to fill in the blanks for the work I would do
at that time. They would, of course have to check with the ''powers that be''.
Then the next call I would get would be about a year later to come out and
tune and repair more broken strings.

Even my 3 year old and his 15 year old brother learn more quickly than that!

John Elving, RPT
San Leandro, CA
JElving@aol.com