Hello,  Yesterday I received a telephone call from a lady who needed
a servicing of her player piano.  She indicated it had been previously
restored a few year ago by Hays Maclaran, and that last Christmas,
after one particularly abusive rewind (done by her grandchildren),
the roll refused to turn despite her best efforts.

I explained to her my usual fee on coming out at such short notice
to do a diagnostic and repair, and I went on to explain to her that
I generally don't do service calls as I am too busy with clients
restoration work.  But, as she was nearly in tears -- and wanted it to
play for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and there wasn't anyone else
I could refer her too -- I set up the appointment.

Just as I was about to get off of the telephone with her, and in order
for me to pack an effective repair kit, I asked her to go pump the
piano and tell me if there were any gear sounds or anything whirling
or moving in the upper section (when she put the lever on rewind and
pumped it).

She left the phone and a few moments later I heard the growing bars to
"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" -- then what sounded like
a roll rewinding -- then about 30 seconds of "It's Beginning to Look
a Lot Like Christmas".

She came back to the phone absolutely ecstatic and asked me how was
I ever able to fix it via telephone.  I told her, "Let's just hope
it keeps working well through Christmas," and I wished her a Merry
Christmas, realizing once again the "Magic" of Christmas.  After all,
things like this don't happen everyday!

Kelly and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year!

Stephen Kent Goodman