P.I.F.

[bloke]

Today, a person I've known for a long time (who played a beat-to-hell Bach 42) came by for a Christmas present.

At a gig (a couple of weeks ago) I told him to come out and I'd fix up his horn.

- bell pretty badly f'ed up
- rotor hangs up about half the time, clanky, and missing one of the bumpers
- main tuning slide out of alignment, barely moves
- upper inside playing slide tube full of ick
- lime coating upper outside playing slide tube (feeling like it's really badly bent, but actually not bent at all)

All that mess is fixed. I didn't do a chem-clean, but did some shortcuts and cleaned out lime and scum where it was collecting.
...really easy...no perspiration, no buffing dirt, probably 30 - 40 minutes of pleasant chit-chat.

I know he'll pay it forward. He's a really good guy...He's just never (ever) had any repairs done (since his parents bought it for him new - 37 years ago).
His upper/outside tube is showing serious red-rot, but no holes, and works well (now that I've polished the inside of it).

[bloke]

He had to wait until I got home from my Christmas eve rehearsal.

pic: https://i.imgur.com/0Ev6Rku.jpeg
This is that weird annual gig where retired "Pershing's Own" principal euphonium, John Mueller, plays trombone and I play some euphonium.

[Grumpikins]

That's a wonderful gift. Worth more than most as far as gifts go. friendship is so valuable.