Posted by Dog for Sale; Cheap on September 17, 2003 at 09:52:28:
The truck arrived with the box from Cerveny strapped onto a pallet. Inside the box, amidst a sea of cream colored foam peanuts, rested the tissue paper wrapped, mouthpiece never inserted (OK- someone at the factory might have tested it), beautifully flawless Piggy from WWBW. I carefully moved it into the house and stood it carefully on the rug by the music stand; bell down- a little (actually pretty chunky) bit of pristine perfection in my musical slum. I turned and walked across the room to get my mouthpiece....
Meanwhile the dog- "Lucky"- was viewing all of the activity with a suspicious eye. Crouched in the doorway- viewing all brass instruments (trumpets/ saxes) with suspicion and downright terrified of the baritone sax she clearly regarded the tuba as an unsavory addition to the house. As I turned for the mouthpiece she hurled herself at the tuba baying ferociously. Viewed charitably I suppose she thought of herself of saving me from the monster....
The tuba went, not onto the large expanse of fairly thick rug, but onto a wooden chest smacking the leadpipe, the main bow in two places and leaving a ding in the bell.
"Stranger than fiction"