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<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Guy
--</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Exactly the kind of response I was hoping for. Mostly I'm glad =
to have it
confirmed that many of us have these experiences, and that none of us =
will be
chastised by our fellow PTG'ers should we occasionally make that =
decision to
"not find out". I frequently enjoy experiencing both the surreal =
and the
weird. They can be quite entertaining. But when they're not ya =
just
gotta go with your instincts and run.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Thanks
for your response and the support. And the story. Very much a "run" kind =
of
surreal.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>--
Geoff Sykes</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>--
Assoc. Los Angeles</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343383719-31122005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr =
align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On =
Behalf Of
</B>Nichols<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, December 30, 2005 6:23 =
PM<BR><B>To:</B>
Pianotech<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: When to turn around and
leave<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>At 09:59 AM 12/30/2005 -0800, you wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT face=arial =
size=2>OK, gang.
Here's my last question for this year. Is there a filth level at =
which point
you refuse to work on the piano? Or, for that matter, even enter the =
home?</FONT><BR> <SNIP><BR><FONT face=arial =
size=2>So, have any
of you ever refused to enter a home because of filth? Or refused to =
work on
a piano because there was more dirt inside than you were willing to =
take
care of? Or perhaps even just because you get a real bad vibe from =
the
people? And what do you tell them?</FONT><BR> <BR><FONT =
face=arial
size=2>-- Geoff Sykes</FONT><BR><FONT face=arial size=2>-- =
Assoc. Los
Angeles</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Geoff,<BR> The key to the =
answer
for your question(s) is that you need to know in advance where your =
tolerance
level stands. Because..... the standing in the doorway dithering thing =
is what
gets you in the door. If you have a firm idea in mind of what your =
willing to
put up with, then you don't need an excuse, or an argument, or a =
debate, or
even to be judgmental. Really. If you can tell from outside, then turn =
around
and leave. Call the customer from the next block and suggest they find =
someone
else, and you're sorry to have altered their schedule. If you can tell =
when
the door opens, or as you are entering, then just say "Please call =
someone
else" and leave. No comment, no discussion, no response to taunting or =
derogatory remarks. Just leave.<BR> The thing is, and there's =
quite a
bit written on the subject, that you need to react to YOUR reality =
window and
priority system. Not theirs. We all know the phrase "Lack of planning =
on your
part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part", and the priority =
system you
live by is the same thing. Knowing it ahead of time saves you a lot of =
heartache and stress. You don't even have to think about it =
afterwards. You
did the "right" thing for you and your life, and no one got hurt. =
<BR>
Yeah, some of these calls are people who need music and understanding, =
but
some are major health hazards that aren't worth dying for!<BR> I =
think
one of my worst was a move of a three-legged spinet from a mobile near =
a KOA
camp. The place was full of drunk bikers, and the orange shag carpet =
squished
when you walked on it, although it was hard to tell if was beer or cat =
pee.
Started to shift the piano and two legs fell off. Luckily, it was a =
mini, and
my help that day was up to the task of just setting it over onto the =
board,
which was still on the dolly, because the ONLY thing that was getting =
on that
floor was the wheels. Whew. When we got the truck moving away from =
that place,
my helper turned and said "That was surreal." Yup.<BR> =
Anyway, a
phrase I've used, (and was a class title many years ago) is "Let's NOT =
find
out."<BR>As in... let's not find out if I mind 10 yappy dogs, squishy =
carpets,
a thousand teddy bears, patchouli o.d., polka practice, or a steady =
stream of
narcotics customers. Split. Chill. Say =
"NEXT!"<BR><BR><BR>later,<BR>Guy
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