2008年3月7日星期五

當鋼琴遇上起重機

鋼琴與起重機,看似是風馬牛不相及的兩回事。它們會有甚麼關係?

最近在我身上發生了一個小故事,使我又有了一點體會。事緣兩個星期前,我終於能有空去進行我回來美國後幾個月都未有時間完成的心願,就是去買一部鋼琴。我在本地的中文報章上看到一則廣告,有人出讓一部「易手」(二手)的 Yamaha U3 鋼琴。於是我僱了一位調琴師一同前往看琴。鋼琴雖然已有近22 年的歷史,卻保養得非常之好。調琴師對我說,這琴這麼好,如果我不買的話,他會把它買下來!因此,我並不需花太多時間考慮,便決定買下這部鋼琴。

可是,要把這鋼琴搬回家中,卻原來並不是一件簡單的事。原因是我家住在「柏文」(apartment) 二樓,進門要上一道樓梯,之前還要轉一個彎。就是這個彎把搬琴的師傅難到了。他們雖然一行有四個彪形大漢,在那轉彎位面前還是「望門興嘆」。(見圖片及視頻)


(點擊圖示播放幻燈片)


搬琴公司的「科文」(foreman)說,你這琴進不了門,還是從露台吊進去吧。我隨口的「哦」一聲,心中卻在納悶,這琴這麼重,怎樣才可以吊上露台?原來他說的不是用人力吊上露台,而是要用起重機!

按照 foreman 的指示,我依著「黃頁」電話簿(當然是網上版)上的電話一家家的打去問,果然在鄰鎮找到一家起重機公司。老闆說鋼琴他未吊過,不過浴缸、古董傢俱等奇怪東西他都吊過。收費按小時計算,第一小時收費 325 大(美)元。

一切聯絡妥當,於是便與搬琴公司和起重機公司相約幾天之後(即是本週三 3月 5 日)行動。而鋼琴則暫時寄存在搬琴公司的貨車上。到了當日,兩家公司來到,不消 25 分鐘便把任務完成。(見圖片及視頻)


(點擊圖示播放幻燈片)


到那一刻,我才算是擁有一部真正的鋼琴!(我以前用的是數碼鋼琴,並不是真正的 acoustic piano。差別是彈數碼鋼琴時,總是少了彈真鋼琴時的那種由弦線震動所發出的「動」人心弦的感覺。)

回到文首的問題,那到底鋼琴和起重機有何相干?從這小故事中,我的體會是這樣的。鋼琴,似是陽春白雪,給人一種高貴優雅的感覺;而起重機,卻似是下里巴人,給人一種低下粗俗的感覺。但是,在命運的安排下,這高貴優雅的鋼琴,之所以能「過門」進我家,最後靠的還是下里巴人的起重機!

我們的社會,喜歡論高下,排大小。職業要分貴賤,地位要看收入。很多人心中只有一把尺,不是利,就是名。卻原來這個世界其實是多元的,並不只是有一把尺。這社會每天的運行,靠的是人人各司其職,各盡所能,沒有了每一個崗位上敬業樂業的每一個人,群策群力,我們的社會,其實一天也過不了。

Version 1.1

6 則留言:

Unknown 說...

Congratulations! (for moving your piano into your flat successfully)
Well, your case is rather easy (from the pictures) ^^"

My friend who's currently living in CUHK Chung Chi Staff Quarters (the one beside the Engineering Building Phase 2) bought a "triangular piano" (三角琴 appeared in concerts) and she needed to have her windows *removed* before moving in! Though it's crazy, the piano is really nice :D

李銳華 Clement Lee 說...

Thanks!

Once I've done it, I found that the idea of moving a piano using a crane is not that crazy.

Sometimes things look harder than they actually are. (Although the reverse could also be true).

In the US, there is a TV commercial for trash bags in which the plot was that someone was trying to lift a grand piano like what I was planning to do but the rope broke and the piano felt to the ground and broke into pieces. The image is so vivid that I worried that this could happen to my piano. So I actually asked the crane company if they have insurance for the goods that they move, and sure they do ... They told me the insured amount (which I've forgotten already) that is way more than what my piano is worth. They even have a 1-million dollar insurance on any property damages. They are really professional.

Oldfield 說...

這社會每天的運行,靠的是人人各司其職,各盡所能,沒有了每一個崗位上敬業樂業的每一個人,群策群力,我們的社會,其實一天也過不了。

=> 極其同意!!!

李銳華 Clement Lee 說...

Dear Oldfield, Jimmy

It has been one of my believes
that we, the teachers, parents,
or adults, can make our society
better by instilling a more
diversified value system to our
kids, students, or just young
people. That they should chase
after their own dreams, not
someone else's dreams; that
besides wealth and social status
there are many other meaningful
targets to aim at, and many
beautiful mountains to climb; and
that it is okay that these young
people listen to their own inner
voices and do just the things
that they are passionate about.
In this respect, I think the
American society (and perhaps
most other western societies) are
a little bit more advanced than
the Hong Kong society.

I am glad that I could articulate
this thought in the end of that
article, and I am glad that you
like it!

李銳華 Clement Lee 說...

Dear Louisa,

Thank you! I paid US$3,800 for
the piano, and another $500 +
$325 + tips to the two moving
companies.

Yes, I have been enjoying this
piano.

李銳華 Clement Lee 說...

Dear Louisa,

I agree with you. Some young
people may get lost, but who
hasn't? In fact, even myself,
whom many would consider a mature
adult, still am, from time to
time, wondering if I am doing the
right thing in my career (Don't
forget I just did two
trans-atlantic moves in one year
^_^ )

Over the course of my life, my
mood goes up and down at
different times. But I found
that whenever I was in the
valley, one of the "symptoms"
that I had was that I was putting
too much pressure on myself
trying to live up to other
people's expectations
(e.g. getting rich, getting
famous, or getting a
high-social-status position,
etc).

That is why I always try to
remind myself not to pay too much
attention to those social norms,
whenever possible. And I keep
telling myself that this sociey
is actually very diversified and
it needs different talents making
different types of contributions
...

Thanks! It was a good chat.