Now That's Customer Service!

I love nice people. I love helpful people.

Today I had to call a publishing company to request permission to quote from the Bible. I was already mad about having to get permission to use God's holy word. Why does it belong to anybody? Why do I have to spend my time figuring out what's "fair use" with this kind of thing?

Well, it must be done.

I call the 800 number of the publishing company. Someone answers! She is so nice, and she transfers my call to the Legal Department. I leave a message for a kind man named Brett. It's an overly emotional and rather long narrative about my blog and my new book about Living with Flair and how I sometimes quote from the NIV Bible. I clumsily end the call with, "I'm not sure if you actually call people back, but if you do, here's my number, and I sure would like help figuring out how to get permission to quote from the Bible in my book."

Brett calls back. He calls back! He's so nice and helpful! I exclaim, "Wow, you called back!"

Brett: "Well, you had a question, and I had an answer."

Bless you, Brett! He tells me everything I need to know and what I need to state in my book and how it is indeed under Fair Use. That's good news!

It reminds me of the shocking phone call I made to my county when I wanted a fence put up on the walk to school. They responded immediately and put up that fence.

My reaction to encountering a nice, helpful person reminds me today to be one myself. What stress might I eliminate in another person just by being nice and helpful?