Is it my fault if people want to do something for me or give me something when all i do is my job?

For example, a couple weeks ago i get a phone call from somebody saying they need help syncing their Palm Pilot with their computer. I go to their office and try to solve the problem, but i told them i would have to research and get back to them. They said ok. The next day the person stops me in the hallway, and says i have something for you, so stop by when you get the chance. So, when i had a free moment i stopped by this person’s office and they had a couple of brownies for me. I asked, “what’s this for?”, and the reply was, “a pre-thank you for working on my computer”. I then say that i’m just doing my job, and you didn’t have to go to all this work. So, after going back and forth about the brownies and how it really wasn’t necessary, i thank them for the brownies and once again say you didn’t have to do this and left

Now, when i arrive back at my office, one of my co-workers notice i have something and ask me what it is. I tell them, and they think that the person bribed me with food so i would work on their computer, etc. I told it was no bribe, it was a pre-thank you for going to work on their computer. So, this co-worker goes and tells another co-worker, and i get the same response. I told both of them again, it was no bribe, i just did my job. They said sure, Seth whatever, we know you better than that…..I said fine, whatever.

Now last week, i went back to this person’s office, and connected the Palm Pilot to the computer, so appoinmtents would sync up, etc. Apparently the person said it worked for the first month, which was three years ago. i get done and the person says thanks for working on my PDA. I said you’re welcome. Then the person says i will make you some cookies or something. I said that’s not necessary. We go back and forth, and another person joins in, and i tell both of them i’m just doin my job, and bribing won’t work.

So, today, i found out this person made me a plate of cookies for working on her computer. At first i told the person thanks, but it really wasn’t necessary becuase all i did was my job by helping you get your PDA connected to the computer.

I’m glad my co-workers in my office didn’t see me with the plate of cookies, becuase then they would go off and tell me that they bribed me by baking cookies for me in return of working on her computer. I would have said no, it was no bribe. I was just doing my job by helping people with their computer problems.

I don’t expect anything in return when i assist people with their computer problems, and if i do get something, i get harassed becuase people think that i got bribed when working on their computer.

What’s a guy to do?