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Hi all - I recently went out for a day of tuning and arrived at a home where the year before a little girl of four had pulled up a chair while I tuned, and watched the process intently from start to finish. She had asked questions, and I had explained them the best I could, showing how some notes were too high, and some notes were too low, and had to be fixed. (No point of explaining inharmonicity to a pre-schooler!). She really was serious about learning, however, so I did the best I could. Most kids (as you all know) will watch for a minute or two before wandering away. Not much excitement for kids used to the fast pace of TV, video games, etc. This little girl had a much longer attention span than most.

Well, this time when I arrived I was met at the door by a nanny who was watching a toddler. The little girl who had been so interested the year before, it seemed, was off to kindergarten for the day. She had been disappointed that she would not be home to "help" with the tuning, according to the nanny, so she had written out some notes and left them with the nanny with instructions to give them to "Mr. Chuck" to help him out:

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When I left, I told the nanny to be sure to thank Miss Emily for her help - that I checked out her concerns and made sure everything was okay, and that I would try to arrange my next visit for later in the afternoon, when she would be home from school. Her note (pretty dang good for a 5 year old) made me smile - thought you might enjoy it as well. Chuck

P.S. - If any of you know where to find the 17th (or even the 3th) C key - let me know. Thanks!

Delightful !!!

The 17th C key is located in the imagination of a child. And, that exactly were it should be located and enjoyed forever.

I dunno. 3rd key from the bottom is C1, right? 13th key would be an F, but to a child it might just be the white key next to a row of black keys, and that might seem like C. And the 17th would be a C again.

Sounds like an awesome kid.

Super lovely story. Thanks for sharing !

Thanks for the story Chuck. Encounters with young children are one of the most enjoyable aspects of this business.

Great story Chuck....she may well be a wonderful piano tuner when she grows up!

Thanks all - She's a pretty special little girl. I have her note pinned to the wall of my office next to my tuning cards so that when I grab my appointments for the day, I can glance at it to get my head screwed on straight - to remind myself what's really important. While obviously the money one makes tuning is important (it is to our budget at any rate) what really matters is the lives one touches and the instruments one maintains. The fact that what you do as a tuner helps both youngsters learning to play the piano create beautiful music, and talented pianists be able to close their eyes and lose themselves in what their minds and fingers are creating - that's what one can sit around the nursing home one day and be thankful that he had a role in playing. Chuck

Well, I would prefer to have a bowling alley installed in my brain than tuning near any of the pre-schoolers I've met. It seems as if you managed to get one of the more pleasurable experiences out of one Chuck....I'm still waiting to find one like that.

Emmery - I've got 5 (soon to be 6) grandkids under 8 - 4 of them under 6. I believe I'm starting to think more and more like them. Chuck