A meaning of the word, 'Service'

[madokie]

At one time in my life, I thought I had a handle on the meaning of the word
"service". The act of doing things for other people.
Then I heard the terms:
Internal Revenue Service,
Postal Service,
Civil Service,
Telephone Service,
Service Stations,
Customer Service,
City/County Public Service.

I became confused about the word "service. This is not what I thought
"service" meant.

Then one day, I overheard two farmers talking, and one of them mentioned
that he was having a bull service a few of his cows.
It all came into perspective. Now I understand what all those "service"
agencies are doing to us...

[napi21]

1. Very good explaination! n/t

[EST]

2. For years, I led a one person attempt

to educate people whose snail-brained public conversations were filled with such terms as "servicing our customers" when they meant "serving our customers." Now I am old, public conversation is in even worse shape than ever, and I often wonder if the time I spent on precision in language made the world any better a place.
Are people really worth the effort made to understand them? I suppose the only real reward comes from knowing that one can depend on oneself not to offend, and that, perhaps, is enough.