I guess you could call THAT networking

This morning a representative from the local gas delivery company came by to our place. He stated that he'd been ordered to either collect a certain past due amount of money from us or shut off our service. I explained to him our family's current situation, and he, while very sympathetic, explained that it would be better for us to not have it shut off and then reconnected again.

Fortunately, we had the amount in the bank account. Mom was outside with us as well. I asked if he could take a check, and then went inside to get the checkbook. I returned to the representative with the checkbook and wrote the check for the past due amount. I also told him that I was grateful that they hadn't turned the service off when the weather was cold, like it was last month.

The, get this: he asked me what kind of work I did. I told him that I did some computer programming, and he said that he might know of someone who could help me. I asked him if I could give him a business card. He said yes, and I went back inside to get some business cards I'd made up for myself. I gave him two of them, in fact.

As the rep took off, Mom mentioned that the guy told her I'd been a lot better than many of the folks he's had to meet about similar matters like this. Mom thanked him and they got to talking about my being a Christian, and the guy said he could tell I was a Christian by how I'd behaved.

So, I guess you could consider that networking.