Quid Pro Quo

In The Godfather (1972), Bonasera, the undertaker, goes to Don Corleone on the day of his daughter's wedding.  Bonasera's daughter had been brutally assaulted and the criminal justice system failed him.  So, this was his plan B.

Once Bonasera shows the required respect to the Godfather and asked for his friendship, Don Corleone was willing to provide the justice he was looking for.  He arranged for the young men responsible for the assault to be assaulted as well.

And then Don Corleone uttered this famous line, "One day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me."  To me, this is as expected.  I do something for you; you do something for me.

There you have Quid pro quo, an agreement for a reciprocal exchange of goods or services.

In As Good As It Gets (1997), Melvin, an author, is obsessed with a waitress (Carol) at the restaurant where he eats almost all his meals.  When she can't come to work because her son is very ill, he uses his influence with his publishing house editor to arrange for the medical services of her husband to treat the waitress's son.  The waitress then returns to work.

Carol is extremely grateful for Melvin's act of kindness.  However, when Melvin asks that Carol accompany Melvin and his gay friend on a trip from New York to Baltimore, she initially turns him down.

Carol is aghast that Melvin believes she owes him because of what he did for her.  He responds with, "Is there any other way to see it?"

I agree.  If somebody does you a favor or a kindness, then how can you resist repaying such favor or kindness when requested?  

Several years ago, our neighbors, Vitor and Marli, did an extreme act of kindness for us, unasked for and completely unexpected.  We will be forever in their debt, not out of obligation, but out of gratitude.