I'll Do That For Free

Gone are the "good old days" where service stations actually serviced a vehicle instead of being a junk food emporium..."compromise" was still part of the lexicon in this country...and people did things for others just because it was a kind thing to do. Now, it seems everyone wants to gain an edge (note all the Black Friday stores opening on Thanksgiving, of all things), and the family physician practically sets a timer when he or she steps into the room.
Today, however, I actually heard someone offer a service for free. Granted, there was already money being exchanged for something else, but still...
The event was a visit to a dermatologist to check out some suspicious growth that had begun to be an irritant. In addition, I had a small mole that seemed to be positioned just in the wrong place for wearing a dress shirt and tie (which I do now on every casual Friday).
Initially, the dermatologist recorded the growth and checked my head, face, chest and back for anything suspicious. Having decided that she was ready to slice off the suspicious growth, I mentioned that it was no big deal to deal with the small mole on my neck...I could put up with the discomfort. She replied, "I'll do that for free." After slicing off the offending protrusion, she grabbed the can of liquid nitrogen and sprayed my neck for ten seconds or so, smiled, and said, "There. You're all set." I was still a bit bewildered at her largesse. Sure, the treatment was quick and probably relatively inexpensive for her to complete, but it still struck me as unusual.
Maybe I'm too jaded; maybe there are more folks like that out there.
At this point, though, I just hope I don't have to find them in the medical profession.