<HTML><BODY>
<div>Fellow techs and amateur psychologists...:-},</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks for the input. Enough people have suggested that the text on my certificate is potentially misleading that I opted to take Alan's advice and send the lady a letter of apology for any anger I might have expressed, then forget about it and have a larf about it at my own expense. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Taking a remedial reading and writing course,</div>
<div> </div>
<div style="CLEAR: both">Dave Stahl<br>
<br>
</div>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: pianoboutique@comcast.net<br>
To: pianotech@ptg.org<br>
Sent: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 12:57 PM<br>
Subject: RE: A strange and unpleasant experience<br>
<br>
<STYLE>
.AOLPlainTextBody {
margin: 0px;
font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;
font-size: 12px;
color: #000;
background-color: #fff;
}
.AOLPlainTextBody pre {
font-size: 9pt;
}
.AOLInlineAttachment {
margin: 10px;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader {
font: 11px arial;
border: 1px solid #7DA8D4;
background: #F9F9F9;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader .Title {
font: 11px arial;
background: #B5DDFA;
padding: 3px 3px 3px 3px;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader .FieldLabel {
font: 11px arial;
color: #000000;
padding: 1px 10px 1px 9px;
background: #F9F9F9;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader .FieldValue {
font: 11px arial;
color: #000000;
background: #F9F9F9;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader a, .AOLImage a {
color: #2864B4;
text-decoration: none;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader a:hover, .AOLImage a:hover {
color: #2864B4;
text-decoration: underline;
}
body {
background-color: white;
font-family: "Verdana";
font-size: 10pt;
border: 0px;
}
p {
margin: 0px;
padding: 0px;
}
img.managedImg {
width: 0px;
height: 0px;
}
img.placeholder {
width: 275px;
height: 206px;
background: #F4F4F4 center center no-repeat;
border: 1px solid #DADAD6 !important;
}
</STYLE>
<div class=AOLPlainTextBody id=AOLMsgPart_0_38e5476b-cc6e-44f4-9383-ca503234391a><PRE><TT>The bearer of this gift certificate is entitled to
> one piano tuning.
That is what I see and I don't have 20 20.
William
PIANO BOUTIQUE
William Benjamin
Piano Tuner Extraordinaire
<A href="http://www.pianoboutique.biz/" target=_blank>www.pianoboutique.biz</A>
The tuner alone,
preserves the tone.
-----Original Message-----
From: <A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces%40ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A> [<A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces%40ptg.org">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>] On Behalf
Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 12:41 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: A strange and unpleasant experience
> List,
>
> This might be considered a cautionary tale about what we all put out
> there on the WWW.
>
> I tuned my first piano of the week on Monday. It was a pretty typical
> job--Yamaha upright, not tuned for several years. 30 cent pitch raise,
> but it tuned up nicely.
>
> I yak away with the customer, explain a few things, finish up, present
> bill.
>
> The lady,whose English is not very good, says "I was referred by Joseph,
> my tenant. He says I just give paper and tuning free."
>
> I say "WHAT! What piece of paper is that? I don't work for free!."
>
> She pulls out a piece of paper, which is the "gift certificate" page of
> my website printed out on a sheet of copy paper. Below is the text.
>
>
> Dear ____________________________ ,
> _______________________________ has chosen to help you promote harmony
> in the universe! The bearer of this gift certificate is entitled to one
> piano tuning. Please call 650-224-3560, or E-mail me at
> <A href="mailto:Velopresto%40aol.com">Velopresto@aol.com</A> to arrange the time and date of your service.
>
>
>
> I don't see where it says "coupon for free piano tuning." I can see
> where there might be some confusion as to the way the gift certificate
> works, but I don't understand how anyone can be oblivious enough to
> expect that this entitles them to my services for free. And I think if
> I was going to redeem this "coupon" I might first ask the person who
> would be doing the work if this was indeed a "free" tuning.
>
> I got very angy with her, and with the person who suggested that this
> might be a free tuning, and with the fact that she waited until I had
> done the work before she presented the "coupon."
>
> Needless to say, I've put a disclaimer on the gift certificate on my
> website.
>
> I told her I'd take some responsibility for the confusion, and that she
> could send me half my fee. I anticipate getting nothing from her.
>
> Thanks for letting me vent,
>
> Dave
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Diary,
Last year I replaced all the windows in my house with those
expensive double pane energy-efficient kind. But this week I
got a call from the contractor who installed them. He was
complaining that the work had been completed a whole year ago
and I hadn't paid for them.
Now just because I'm blond doesn't mean that I am
automatically stupid. So, I told him just what his fast
talking sales guy had told ME last year....namely, that in ONE
YEAR these windows would pay for themselves!
Helllooooo? It's been a year! I told him. There was only
silence at the other end of the line, so I finally just hung
up. . . He didn't call back.
Guess I won that stupid argument!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reality is usually a matter of where you're standing when you
click the shutter.
Ron N
</TT></PRE></div>
<!-- end of AOLMsgPart_0_38e5476b-cc6e-44f4-9383-ca503234391a -->
<div class="AOLPromoFooter">
<hr style="margin-top:10px;" />
<a href="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615326657x4311227241x4298082137/aol?redir=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaol%2Ecom%2Fnewaol" target="_blank"><b>Check out the new AOL</b></a>. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.<br />
</div>
</BODY></HTML>