In a message dated 3/24/2005 9:58:23 PM Eastern Standard Time, biankita@earthlink.net writes:
<< What should I do? What would get the best result? >>
Well, as a shop owner who can identify with both sides...
The reality is that the profit from this deal is likely negligible to him; he probably thinks it's more of a favor to you that he is messing with it all, rather than being an economic benefit. He is attending to the next guy or the squeaky wheel rather than do your project because it is on "government time" in his mind.
IMO the best approach is to be direct and business like.
Ask him directly how the seat post problem is coming.. when he says he hasn't gotten around to it yet, ask him when you can count on it as "you are getting antsy" Or (with her permission and as part of this co-conspiracy) tell him that your wife is getting upset "with the both of us" (implying the shop owner and you.) Alternately or additionally, make a set time "when you have to have it done" Say "to the painters by April 10th" or some such.
Also, there is another consideration... Stuck seatposts can be hellish to get out. Heat, Kroil (great stuff, thanks again Karen for the tip!) and brute force still may not get it. It's a heck of a lot better to try soaking it with Kroil long term than have to hack saw a seat post out! It can take more than $125 worth of labor on really nastily stuck seat posts! I would say let him do it his way, or be prepared to do it yourself and experience the cruel realities of the school of hard knocks. Patience, grasshopper....
Dale
Dale Brown cycles de ORO, Inc. 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 336-274-5959 fax 336-274-6360 <A HREF="http://www.cyclesdeoro.com">cyclesdeORO.com</A> <A HREF="http://www.classicrendezvous.com./main.htm">ClassicRendezvous.com</A>