<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV>Greetings,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>            I have been tuning for about 34 months and have never had a problem. Although one must still be alert and cautious. However, I was told to always have a cell phone on your person. If a situation seems fishy call home from the place you are tuning, and tell them you are going to be home in 10-15 minutes, speak so that the people in the place where you are tuning can hear you leaving this message or speaking such things. It lets them know you will be missed, if youre not on time. </DIV> <DIV>            Having the same concern as you,  I once asked an Oriental gal who was a tuner (back before I was a tuner)  the same question. Her reply was "You have tuning hammer in  kit, that has some weight!"  That was her answer. </DIV> <DIV>            My own experience has been that people who own pianos are very cool, and down to earth folks. I (knock on wood) have never had a problem. On another twist, remember that you are going to have women costomers who are afraid to have a man come to the house and may prefer a woman tuner. I works two ways.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Julia Gottshall</DIV> <DIV>Readong, PA</DIV></BODY></HTML>