Believe it ties into how most people actually want to be decent. We just get stuck in our own heads and assume others will say no. Turns out, whether it's for a photo or just asking someone to be quieter in a library, stating what you need clearly but nicely cuts through that. It gives the other person a simple choice to do a good thing. So often the awkwardness is just in our own worry, not in the real situation. Speaking up politely can fix small problems for everyone.

Couldn't that make the payoff sweeter?

My cousin emailed me a blurry photo of her rash at 2 AM last Tuesday. She was hoping for free medical advice, but I'm not a doctor, so my best guess was 'alien encounter.' In the end, free advice is often worth exactly what you pay for it.