About a month and a half ago I had a client who left his watch at my incall. Even though I had his phone number, I had been specifically instructed by him prior to our meeting that he didn't want to receive calls from me on his phone...for discretion reasons. Well, no problem. I don't have his email address because I don't keep those once the appointment is complete.
Of course I assumed he would realize that he left his watch and call me to make arrangements to retrieve it. He never did. So here I am with a watch, a pretty nice one with lots of features, and I'm wondering whether I should just get rid of the thing.
Am I right to assume that if he had wanted it back he would have called by now? Would he have a leg to stand on if he eventually did come back for an appointment and asked for his watch and I no longer had it? Would love to hear your opinions. xxxx Octavia.
Octavia,
I'm thinking that by now, he's "explained" where his watch disappeared to, and doesn't want to have to "explain" again where he found it again.
I'd say enough time has passed, and you can dispose of the watch however you see fit.
Yoda
Why would you think that? Maybe he belongs to a gym and thinks he left his watch there? How hard would it be for her to just hold on to the watch? We're not talking about a large item. I'd say that a month and a half is too soon to dispose (read: sell) it.
Having rethought this...my response was a bit rash.
My apologies.
Probably the best suggestion here was to keep the watch in a drawer somewhere.
Yoda
P.S. This happened to me recently, and though the lady I left my watch with and I are in regular contact, a month later and we still haven't managed to get my watch back on my wrist. I'm finding the lack of a watch somewhat liberating, and that's what inspired my original reposne.
Most likely the person thinks he misplaced the watch somewhere else. He might just call and if the watch is gone he will be upset. I would hold it for some time, probably one year. If he doesn't call to inquire about it, he probably has a better one.
If he's a TER member, he may read the above and will certainly recognize himself. If he calls you, well and good. If another week or two go by, I'd say Yoda's advice kicks in.
Too bad you're not in my region. You sound like a real sweetheart.
He probably left it there on purpose. The watch is probably a listening device and he is enjoying all your wild encounters every night!!! LOL!
I own some pretty expensive watches...if I were the guy who left the watch and a month or so has passed, I'd be surprised if a provider held on to it. Don't try to return it--sell it after you feel sure he won't call again.
Because I'm over 30 and have been burned the general dishonesty of people throughout my life. I am pleasantly surprised, however, by the kindness of strangers every now and then, but I'd be a fool to rely on it.
Just a note--I don't say anything that encompasses ALL providers. If I speak of providers, and what I say doesn't apply to you, then I'm probably not talking about you.
Once had a provider leave her dress in the backseat of my car. We were driving at night and it was really fun to think that I had a beautiful naked blond next to me for about 200 miles. She slipped something else on before we arrived and completely forgot her dress. It is extremely hard to keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel if you know what I mean. I mailed the dress back to her the following week.
When he told you not to call, I don't imagine he meant in a circumstance like this.
I would just hold onto it. It doesn't take a lot of space.
But, if it's a rolex, that's different, and you should call.
You can't accurately discern what circumstance he meant and it doesn't matter what type of watch--he knows he left it, especially if it's a Rolex. Suppose she calls and causes him to somehow have to explain why some woman is returning his watch (I can hear his SO's voice now: "What the hell were you doing that required you to remove your watch?"). If he said don't call, then she shouldn't call. Have you ever been married? Losing even a Rolex is a small price to pay when compared to getting caught.
When you have (very) expensive watches, Montblanc pens, etc, you tend to keep an eye on them subconsciously. I know I do!
I bet if it had been a Rolex that he left, he would have noticed its absence within an hour, and contacted her immediately.
Still, even though it's not a valuable watch that was left behind, in my post at the end, I question why she wasn't more pro-active trying to return it by emailing him the same day.
It's definitely not more than maybe a $75 watch, if that makes any difference...thanks to all that have posted so far, I appreciate the feedback.
If it is an expensive watch, I would definately try to contact him. It is quite possible he really didn't remember the last time he had it, so he may not have even thought to call you for it. He may have thought he left it at the gym, the pool, got caught in a sweater when he was changing etc. Even if it isn't an expensive watch, it may have sentimental value. I think he should know you have it.
Some possible ways to discrely contact him are:
1) Make sure it is a good time, based on what you know about him.
2) Make sure your number is callblocked in case somebody else answers.
3) If a woman answers the phone, don't hang up. Ask for Michelle, or Julia or any other woman, and then just apologize for dialing the wrong number. Try back again a few hours later and use the same name if a woman answers again. Eventually you will get through to him.
4) You could have a male friend (or even a trusted client) do the speaking for you. Just make sure that you dial the number, so that nobody else is privy to his private info. That way, if a woman answers the phone, you can hand it over to your friend, who will then ask to speak with your long lost client. That won't raise any alarms, and you will most likely get the opportunty to speak with him.
All of this is assuming that you still have his number. I personally don't keep records after they leave. However, if I had noticed that something was left behind, I would make an exception until I was able to contact him. If a similar situation happens in the future, I would assume that the best course of action would be to call him right away. If you have his cell number, and you just parted ways a few minutes earlier, chances are that he isn't tied up yet, or in a compromising position.
If you don't have his contact information anymore, I would probably still hold onto it. It's small enough to just toss into a cupboard, and if he chooses to visit with you again, you can surprise him with it.
All of you women telling her to call and hang up or use the wrong number technique have alot to learn. If his relationship is shaky enough for him to hobby, his SO may be the jealous-investigative type who looks at blocked calls or women calling for any reason as grounds for suspiscion. Having a guy call might work, but then who knows how the client will feel about a third party involved in his business.
Maybe it's just from having too many years in the Marines, but the man's desires were clear--DON'T CALL. Your determination to play good samaritan might be all it takes to provide the one clue that could wreck his relationship.
he would not know you have it. I don't take off my watch for just anything, and I look at the time hourly ... I'll bet if it were a Cartier or the like he would have been beating on your door the same day. As things are, consider it abandoned ...
PS - He has no case against you, since he would never want to explain the backdrop of the case, or more precisely, why he was taking off his watch at your place ... hee hee
It's just a little tiny watch! I have had this happen to me and since it does happen so infrequently, as in, it's not as if you have to worry about having piles of watches around your house,LOL, what's the big deal? I just put the item in my jewelery box and if and when you see him again you can give it back to him. I wouldn't surprise him with it either. The minute he calls I'd tell him I had it, that way whether you end up seeing him again or not, he can at least stop by real quick to get the watch. I have driven "half way" to meet someone who forgot their watch (and got a thank you card w/a tip from them too! how sweet...) I have also mailed back watches to clients who have visited from out of my area, at their request of course. What I would definitely NOT do is get rid of it in any way.
LOB
what a nice impression it would make if you took the trouble to save it for him. I know I'd feel pretty darn impressed if after a couple of months I found out just how considerate you were for holding and returning my watch.What would you want him to do if you had left something in his hotel room during an outcall?
About several months back...I left an expensive pair of my favorite sunglasses behind.
It was a great session and my body was still racing but my mind hated to leave... and when you get conflicts like that...
Stuff is left behind.
Well...anyway...the night was not over as I had places to visit and people to see in the vast greatness of the big apple.
Of course, I didn't realize it til the next day when I started scrounging around looking for them.Shit...out of luck, couldn't find them and it was a bright sunny day... besides coupled with too many Amstels and shots of Stoli O the night before. When I went outside and my eyes hit that sunlight, I felt like Dracula after an eclipse.CURSES!
I picked up a cheap pair at the local drug store and called a few of the gin mills I haunted the night before but no luck...
It wasn't til a couple of weeks back when I went to see one of my ATF's that... afer we were both comfortable, she excused herself,only to comeback with my sunglasses on. Oh happy day!
Of course, I told her to take them off right away,lol, since her tiny head with my black framed shades looked like Outer limits meets Victoria Secret.I couldn't thank her enough and believe me I was extra appreciative.So...by all means providers...do what you can to see that the hobbyist gets his "stuff" back. You'll be repaid in Spades.
Cheers!
Thinking about me in this situation. I have 20 watches and change them frequently. I would not know that it was missing ( unless I noticed that day) until I tried to wear it again.
I would hold on to it, until he calls again and remind him he did not lose it, but that he left it with you, At least for now...
Perhaps you didn't give us all the information, but I'm not quite sure why you didn't have his email address handy right after the appointment.
Once a guy left a nice lighter (fell out of his pocket). I emailed him that same day and he returned the next day to pick it up--no big deal.
So, I don't understand why you weren't able to email him the same day like I did. You should be pro-active and get his belongings back to him pronto, not just wait until he contacts you. Or do you immediately run to the computer to delete his email info as soon as he walks out the door, and that's why you couldn't contact him right away?
I delete email records too, but I keep them around for about a week first. Sometimes I want to write a thank you note; also I worry that if I ever developed an STD symptom, I would need a way to contact him (it's never happened, but I don't want to be unprepared.).
I would have emailed him right away, regardless, for that is his property. Don't throw it away. Hold on to it, until he is able to pick it up. I do agree, be pro-active, bite the bullet and email him (if you still have his email). Trust me, in the end, he will appreciate you more for returning his item 
Outlook 'remembers' the email address for you, if you recall at least a bit of it. So, as soon as you type in 'jo_', Outlook fills it in for you or brings up choices as possibles to choose from.
That "feature" is the kind of thing that makes me realize: most providers probably don't even KNOW whether or not they keep contact records.
OK, first off, I didn't notice that I had the watch until several days later...I had already deleted his email by then. I do not use outlook for business, I use yahoo, and I had never replied to his email when he first contacted me, so I didn't have a his email in my "sent items" either...he called me after sending an initial introduction by email.
Secondly, I do NOT keep phone numbers per se, but if someone calls me, my phone keeps the number. I do clean out my phone memory once or twice a week. When I noticed that he left his watch, I went to my phone, retrieved his number, deleted it from my phone, wrote the # on a sticky note (with no name) and stuck it on the watch. I thought that if he didn't call me in a week or so that I may try and call him, but I decided against it.
I think it's obvious from me posting this that I am NOT dishonest, I am simply trying to get some opinions on what others would do, or would like to have done for them....if I were to sell the watch (which someone suggested was what I meant by my asking whether or not I should keep it), it would not be a life changing amount of money. As I said, it's not exactly a high end watch. I never intended to sell it. If anything, I would give it to a friend or throw it out.
I thank those that have piped in with actual helpful feedback rather than criticism about how I may, or may not, have handled it or backhanded judgements about my honesty or the honesty of other providers.
For those people that were helpful, I will share that I have made a decision to keep it for awhile longer and decide what to do about it at a later date. Thanks again for your help!!! xxx Octavia.
EOM
just a guess, but she might have it logged in her cellphone via the "recent calls"....just a guess
No it's not scary...I do not KEEP phone numbers in the regular course of my business. My phone records the numbers in memory when someone calls me. I clean out my phone a couple of times a week. When I noticed that he left his watch, I went to my phone, found the number and wrote it down (with no name)before erasing it from my phone, then stuck it on the watch thinking if he didn't call me in a day or two, that I might call him...which I didn't end up doing. Come on and give me a break for God's sake....seems like you jumped to an unfair conclusion. I had a teacher once that used a corny saying..."Never ASSUME anything. It makes an ASS out of U and ME". Words to live by?
Octavia,
You are soooo sweet! You also look and now sound terrific. I gotta get out to your part of the country. Let me know if you pass through NYC! And keep posting on the board.