| It's Spring Break and the flowers are in
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| | this kind violin wasn't wretched enough
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| bloom, but there's no flowered scent to
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| | in playable shape, the junk before me had
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| the rancid air in the red light district.
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| | been crushed and nastily glued back
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| A matted up cat scurries away from a
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| | together. Sort of. The neck was askew and
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| dumpster as I pass, making my way across
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| | the top was coming undone at one side. I
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| the littered sidewalk to a dirty little
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| | can safely say this was the most
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| shop with a twitching neon sign, "Pawn
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| | deplorable violin I have ever seen, and
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| Here."As I approach the cracked glass
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| | I've seen a lot of rotten junk in my
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| counter I sense other customers' eyes on
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| | time.I forcefully hold in judgement like
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| me. I don't look like I belong here in my
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| | a bulimic keeps from getting sick with
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| designer boots with my sweet little
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| | company present. The shopkeeper inhales,
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| 5-year-old son at my side. My son points
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| | about to launch into his spiel, using
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| timidly at a large rusty knife with a
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| | pawn shop Tactic #2: Let the lies
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| skull engraved in the side and I'm
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| | begin."This here violin is a master
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| suddenly guilty that I've dragged him
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| | instrument," he says in a hushed tone. At
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| into such a seedy place."I hear you have
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| | this I am compelled to say something or
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| a violin," I say to the rugged, hunched
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| | I'll burst. "It's a Chinese Strad-copy
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| man behind the counter. I say it in a
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| | violin from the 1980's, most-likely a
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| sweet, treble tone that make me further
| |
| | Corelli," I interrupt quickly. Uh oh, the
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| stand out in a "I'm just a girlie girl
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| | jig is up. He knows I'm no dupe.But wait,
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| with too much money who knows nothing
| |
| | he tries pawn shop Tactic #3: Lie some
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| about violins" sort of way.Truth be
| |
| | more. "No, M'am," he simpers. "This is a
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| known, I am a violinist and a violin shop
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| | real Stradivarius. It's been in an attic
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| owner. I'm not an expert in advanced
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| | for a long time, an undiscovered
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| violin authenticity, but I know a good
| |
| | treasure." His face has obviously
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| violin when I see one and I also know
| |
| | rehearsed the honest, pleading
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| when to run away screaming when it's
| |
| | expression. His knack for lying is, in a
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| junk. I'm here with hopes that the violin
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| | sick way, admirable.This is beginning to
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| in question is worth repairing and
| |
| | annoy me, but I want to see how big of a
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| restringing so it may be sold cheap to a
| |
| | hole he'll dig for himself. I look at him
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| student on a budget, making me a little
| |
| | as if wanting to be enlightened. He takes
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| bit of cash as well.My hopes are not high
| |
| | the bait and goes for tactic #4: Lie, but
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| that this will happen, but every so often
| |
| | make it a real whopper."This violin was
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| there is something worth picking up. I
| |
| | made by one of Stradivarius' students,"
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| don't volunteer this information as past
| |
| | he lies.I almost laugh out loud at this,
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| experiences have proven this always
| |
| | considering "Stradivari," not
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| unreasonably jacks up the price about
| |
| | "Stradivarius" was the maker of
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| 400%. I'm not here to gouge the guy, but
| |
| | Stradivarius violins and all of his
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| I don't want to be gouged myself. Act
| |
| | instruments have been accounted for. And
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| like I know nothing and I can usually get
| |
| | really, what kind of idiot thinks the
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| it at an appropriate price.I will have to
| |
| | most recently discovered Strad is for
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| dance the dance to keep this transaction
| |
| | sale at a lousy pawn shop?My son is
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| fair.The man behind the corner clears his
| |
| | shuffling his feet, but not complaining
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| throat loudly and eyes me suspiciously. I
| |
| | out loud. I wish he'd throw a tantrum so
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| blink twice and smile, pink lipgloss
| |
| | I'd have an excuse to leave quickly.
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| shimmering in his clouded eyes. He glares
| |
| | Instead I maintain my composure and
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| again, slowly turns then limps to a back
| |
| | casually thank the man for his time
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| room, shouting over his shoulder
| |
| | before I turn and leave. He keeps his
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| something about how he has to go to the
| |
| | cool as my son and I walk out without
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| "special room" where rare instruments are
| |
| | another glance back, though to him I'm
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| kept.This is pawn shop Tactic #1: Talk up
| |
| | the one that got away.We danced the
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| the merchandise and add unrealistic
| |
| | delicate dance of buyer and seller,
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| mystique.He returns with what looks like
| |
| | expert and swindler, and thankfully no
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| a miniature coffin covered in dust. It's
| |
| | one's toes were stepped on. He will go
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| an old black wooden violin case.
| |
| | on to swindle another and may do well in
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| Predating plastic and styrofoam, these
| |
| | the end. I am happy I still believe that
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| were the sorry excuses for cases that
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| | people are good and I don't take it
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| caused more harm to instruments than not
| |
| | personally when they go bad.As we drive
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| since they had no padding and the weak
| |
| | away, my son asks why I didn't buy the
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| metal latches that held them together
| |
| | nice violin. The poor dear would buy an
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| would spontaneously unhinge, causing many
| |
| | ice cube in Alaska. Thus I begin to
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| a fiddle to fall to death during
| |
| | teach him another lesson in life's tricky
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| transport."This is a fine antique case,
| |
| | dance moves, keeping your balance while
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| made in 1883," says the shopkeeper. A man
| |
| | still enjoying the
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| to my left approaches and says breathily,
| |
| | music.Twenty-nine-year-old Rhiannon
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| "those things are worth $500! They are
| |
| | Schmitt (nee Nachbaur) is a professional
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| very rare!" I keep my neutral gaze and
| |
| | violinist and music teacher who has
|
| say, "Oh yeah."First off, I have about 4
| |
| | enjoyed writing for many years.Her
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| such cases stored under my bed since I
| |
| | business, Fiddleheads Violin School and
|
| can't get rid of the things. Secondly, I
| |
| | Shop, has won several distringuished
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| had seen this "customer" helping move
| |
| | young entrepreneur business awards for
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| stock as I passed the shop a few days
| |
| | her comittment to excellence. The shop
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| earlier. He was another employee who
| |
| | offers beginner to professional level
|
| poses as customer to add "unbiased"
| |
| | instruments, accessories and supplies.
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| credibility to the lies the shopekeeper
| |
| | provides a rich resource of information
|
| spins. My son coughs and looks around,
| |
| | on her school, products for sale and her
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| bored out of his mind.I maintain my blank
| |
| | many writings.Rhiannon is Founding
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| expression. I'm starting to think the
| |
| | President of the Shuswap Violin Society.
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| violin inside this casket is a dead
| |
| | She dedicates much of her time to
|
| end.The shopkeeper opens the case and my
| |
| | community music projects and helping
|
| suspicions are confirmed.It is absolutely
| |
| | young musicians in financial need.She has
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| horrible. A cheap, Chinese made Corelli
| |
| | also volunteered as an events promoter,
|
| or Bestler fiddle from the early 1980's.
| |
| | classical music radio host and as a
|
| I've seen so many to know what they are
| |
| | volunteer orchestra music arranger for
|
| upon first glance. It has the usual ugly
| |
| | her local School District in recent
|
| starburst orange and yellow plastic
| |
| | years.Rhiannon currently writes music
|
| finish, which has cracked due to heat
| |
| | columns for two BC publications and has
|
| exposure. The pegs are made from cheap,
| |
| | been featured in Australia's "Music
|
| splintered rosewood. The chinrest and
| |
| | Teacher Magazine." Writing allows her to
|
| tailpiece are the cheapest shiny black
| |
| | be a creative "smart-ass" and to teach
|
| plastic, with a sticky mystery stain
| |
| | people that learning music is fun.
|
| covering the cup of the chinrest.As if
| |
| |
|
