[pianotech] Why schedules sometimes go pfffft.

[David Stocker]

Twice I have shown up for scheduled appointments to find out the piano owner died suddenly the day before. One was an elderly lady hit by a car while crossing a street to get to one of our finer restaurants. Family had gathered, and said no, thank you; we don't need the piano tuned.

The other was a lady who choked on a soft piece of waffle. (!) The husband calmly told me the piano was there for the grandchildren next door, so go ahead and tune. He had me back a couple more times. 

Both pianos were more than 45 minutes away.

David Stocker, RPT
Tumwater, WA

From: Paul T Williams 
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 14:14
To: pianotech at ptg.org 
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Why schedules sometimes go pfffft.


Something similar....went to  a vocal professor.  Usual customer with a Steinway M which needed rebuilding badly.  Always took 15 minutes to take off the piles of music.  I start tuning, right, but then the phone rings while she is there in the studio...Her daughter is getting carried away practically in a straight-jacket with EMT's trying to "talk her down" from the trauma.  I never heard a 70 year old woman sound like the saltiest sailor I've ever heard...(and I've heard them, believe me...).  After 45 minutes of yelling, and I patiently sitting by waiting for some quiet, she calmly asked me to please finish the tuning and leave the bill on the piano, and then promptly ran out of the house. (I got paid promptly BTW and continued to go there every 6 months until moving to Lincoln...) 

What strange crap we techs have to deal with!  I'm sure this will bring some other "fun" stories! 

Best, 
Paul 


      From:  Conrad Hoffsommer <choffsommer at hotmail.com>  
      To:  <pianotech at ptg.org>  
      Cc:  Susan Kline <skline at peak.org>  
      Date:  01/27/2010 04:03 PM  
      Subject:  [pianotech] Why schedules sometimes go pfffft. 


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I went to a new customer, today.  Local piano teacher.  Some warning bells went off when she not only didn't know how long it had been since it was tuned, but what brand of grand it was. (She later commented how good her old Lowry had been... oops)  She also wanted me to clean the insides, fearing the dust rabbits on the soundboard might be interfering with the function of the instrument.

When I got there I recognized her as someone I'd seen in the music building for years, but never been introduced.  We wound up chatting for at least 1/2 hour about my retirement, college profs, etc. and how/where I'd learned to tune. (like a recent thread)

The beastie turned out to be a redone Bush & Lane 5' neo-natal which she'd recently gotten from her Aunt and had been in storage +5 years while Auntie had been in a nursing home and had no idea how long it had been untuned before that.  It was ±100¢ flat.  

Cleaned the soundboard, etc. then Cybertuner to the rescue! The tuning was about 3/4 done and going well when she came into the room, holding her arm, asking me to phone her husband.  She had gone out to bring in the mail and had fallen on the ice.

I called him and then took a closer look at her wrist.  It was already twice the size of the other one.  I called 911. Husband, first responder and ambulance were all soon there. Besides the wrist which was mostly likely well broken, her shoulder was either dislocated or broken. 

I've tuned against Muzak, TV, vacuums, etc. but, trust me, you can't tune a piano with a woman screaming in pain 10 feet away.

45 minutes later, after all had left, I finished the tuning, left the bill on the piano, locked the door, went home and had a beer...  

Conrad Hoffsommer



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