I recently lost one of my FAA Martlets this way... had the N. Africa Martlet out on display, my sister in law came over and her step daughter (the story is getting convoluted no? in laws... step daughters...) went to pick up the Martlet... doing so she put her palm down on the antenna wire and snapped it and the mast off...
Immediately I yelled in a loud voice "
!!!!!" when the step mother (my sister in law) came running with a look of fear in her eyes, I heartily apologized and explained it took me about 50 hours of work to complete that.. she almost had tears in her eyes... I think she thought it was a toy too... she immediately took the girl into the bed room for a talk, which I know did now good but I think the expletive alone I think was enough for the teenage step daughter to think twice...
(make sure you use your best R. Lee Ermey from mail call voice when you yell out the expletive)
Loud expletives are the way to go......