Hence the phrase: "Pay the piper." Once one has a unique skill or position, the number of people who think it would be swell if you could "do this one little f

Hence the phrase: "Pay the piper." Once one has a unique skill or position, the number of people who think it would be swell if you could "do this one little favor" grows large in a jiffy. This is why you pay the piper. The piper may in fact have the time, money, and interest in doing the favor. Nevertheless, the piper must be paid as a noise filter to keep out the riff-raff. Paying the piper is what adults do and expect.