" One would > have thought that a bike like this would have received special
treatment,
> but I can only speculate on how or why someone working as a professional
> mechanic would treat a vintage bike so poorly. "
This is a malady commonly known as "stupid, untrained employees, with no supervision" syndrome. Its havoc is not limited to bike shops. It's very wide-spread.
John in Boise, bent on overpacking a frame later today.