DEAR ABBY: I'm a doctor. I give free medical advice to my cousin and her mother several times a month, and have for quite some time now. I do it free of charge because we are family and there's a close bond between us.
My cousin works in marketing, so I asked her if she could help me design my presentation card. She replied that she would give me three designs to choose from, and it would cost roughly $100. I feel it's wrong for her to charge me for her service since I've never charged her. -- FREE OF CHARGE IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR FREE OF CHARGE: It's possible your cousin was asking to be reimbursed for the cost of the materials involved in creating the cards for you. Before you allow yourself to get into a snit, perhaps you should clarify exactly what you would be paying for.