I'm having paranoia like fear in seeing providers since a fellow hobbiest told me vivid details of his recent le encounter.  His event happened after leaving a reputable agency that I had used regularly and provided great service, it could have happened to me.  That agency is not in business any longer.
So I went to see a provider at another long standing reputable agency, first scouring the parking lot for suspicious activity before entering.  Then had a difficult time relaxing during the session to the point where my performance failed.  But that's not my real concern.  Time and hormones should fix that.

Here's the paranoia issue - exiting the hotel elevator, I see a man standing to one side in a vestibule holding a cell to his ear, never says a word. Looking very much like an undercover guy to me. We make eye contact, he takes one step back into the vestibule, almost to hide in my mind.  I leave the elevator and start to walk in the opposite direction a few steps, now we can't see each other.   My mind is racing and for whatever reason decide to take a different tact so I turn back in the opposite direction to walk past the vestibule.  At that point the dude just happens to be stepping out in a stride in the direction I first headed in.  We make eye contact again and pass each other, me quickly exiting the building without looking back.  The dude never made a sound into the phone and really didn't appear to be involved in a conversation.  So he's le in my mind and I can't shake the thoughts, watching my rear view mirror for any cars following me for miles as I drive away.

It's almost enough fear for me to look for a real gf and put up with the associated hassles.

So am I paranoid or is this a normal phase that will pass?

Wow, justanotherdog...or is it.. :-0

The whole scenario sounds downright scary...like Harry Lime in Carol Reed's "The Third Man" [egads, I'm really dating myself now,] complete with that ominous zither theme playing in the background!

As I am a psychotherapist and not a surveillance expert, I can't really say if this man was employed by law enforcement or not. But, I can tell you how to beat your paranoia. It's quite simple, if you're up to the task.

Next time you feel like someone is shadowing you, simply turn around, face the potential attacker and say, loudly, with a big smile: "Don't I know you from somewhere? The golf club? The PTA meeting? [Insert lieu of choice.]" If it's someone who really is looking for you, well, then you'll know it right there and then, and won't have to agonize. If it isn't, it will be another case of mistaken identity, and you'll feel better.

I believe that the phase will pass, if you go through enough of these scenarios to habituate your brain and override the amygdala. Another way of resolving this issue is to contact independent providers with no agency involvement whatsoever. With all the zillions of reviews available on TER, there must be some "unattached" female of interest to you. Someone who perhaps entertains in her own place of business?

Agency or not, some hotels are notorious for cooperating with law enforcement in stamping out prostitution, so we shouldn't entirely discount your experience. As to the paranoia itself, no, you don't have a disorder. Healthy fear sounds more like it, particularly if you just recently heard a verifiable horror story.

Anton Karas...that zither theme music...uuuh..gives me the creeps,
the Love Goddess



-- Modified on 3/1/2007 9:37:33 PM

I never discuss money during a session.  I don't see how LE could arrest you after you have engaged in a session.  It would seem your scenario would be grounds for entrapment or blackmail.  Doesn't LE usually nail the hobbyist before bodily fluids have been exchanged.....?  Perhaps John Ashcroft would spend Federal resources building files on hobbyists, otherwise I would have been more concerned about being mugged.

I read on one of the other boards a post from a trustworthy independent provider in Ohio who had a scary situation.  She was in her hotel room incall when a "maintanence man" insisted he come in and check the heater.  The man came in, checked all of the trash cans and left.  He also mentioned the "Do not disturb sign" always being in place as he left.  So flush your condoms boys and girls and deny everything!!!  I learned long ago from a very good attorney, no matter what LE says to you, do not volunteer information and do not answer their questions.  Nine times out of ten they have nothing on you, but see you walk out of a hotel and think they can scare you into becoming a witness.  Don't fall for it!

You have to always go with your gut instinct in these matters-there is a possiblity that he was on the property for the same reason as you and felt as intimidated by your presence as you were by his!  But.......It's a good thing to check for things that seem out of place-in the parking lot-in the lobby-etc.....Can't be too cautious when the little head is in charge!!

She is lucky not to have been robbed or raped.

Think about it:  If the hotel needs to enter the room, they'll call from the front desk first and make sure that you know that they are coming up.

I don't think that even LE would try that as an aware person will then call the hotel security.

I think the guy was a pervert who knew that she was doing business there and wanted to get some used condoms for his twisted enjoyment.

Actual number of run-ins with LE are few and far between, especially for those that are careful and choose good agencies and well reviewed independents.

I've been at it for thirty-five years and never had a brush.

Probably a good idea to try a different agency for a while and stay away from that hotel.  You should also post on your local board and see if anyone else has had a similar problem there.

I'll come on over and date you!  

and LE here thinks resources are better utilized cracking down on dangerous crimes such as prostitution instead of the victimless crimes such as murder, rape, etc.

Thank you all for the comments.  Not that I fully understand each one!

My fear is the little head.  It doesn't always make logical choices.  If I have half a brain, I'll stay away for a while.

The tempting thing is the agencies have a super product to offer that none of the independants I've sampled have matched.  Of course I haven't sampled them all : )  The traveling ladies do seem to have an edge.

Trying to keep a level head....

Like winchester 1 seems to be suggesting, my first reaction on reading the parent post was, 'Ah, another gentleman to see the lady in question, or perhaps one of her fellows.'  He sounded just as nervous as the original poster, and I would like to think that the gentlemen of 5-0 would be sufficiently competent to at least feign a conversation, if none were in fact transpiring.  Be cautious, yes, by all means, minimize risk as much as you can, but if the prospect of a run-in with LE keeps you awake nights, well, maybe a hobby with a lower element of risk would be better in the long run.

Suppose he really were a cop [not just another hobbyist using his cell phone to get room #].

How is he going to know you're having sex behind a closed door?

How is he going to prove you're not just with a girlfriend?

Judges don't authorize wiretaps or forced entry for victimless crimes, just for major real ones.

Does this help?

Well this does strike close to home.  The encounter mentioned in the first post left out quite a bit of detail.  Apparently wiretaps were involved.  Le knew quit a bit about the appointment, where, who and when so that is part of what i'm thinking.

What city was this in?

I'm curious how you know there was a wire tap involved?

I agree with other posts about going with your gut, but I personally thing it was unlikely that was LE.  If it were, IMHO, he certainly violated his cover and gave you reason to be suspicious of him.  Hell, all you have to do is watch Dog the Bountyhunter to know the element of surprise is usually key in busts of any sort, and they certainly lost it in that case.

Certainly sounds like it was suspicious in nature, and I'm not sure I wouldn't have done the same...but it just sounds, in retrospect, to be too botched to be real.

Just my 0.02 FWIW...

HFTBL

I didn't see anything in there to suggest that LE was involved at all, only suspicions to that effect.  Now, it appears that justanotherdog knows *for a fact* that 5-0 was involved, to the extent of wire-tapping.  These are not insignificant details if we are to determine whether the fellow in question was indeed LE, or whether this was just paranoia.  Either way, it doesn't seem like justanotherdog should be doing any hobbying for a while.

First - take LG's advice to heart - confront the fear when it rears it's ugly head - much like if you are attacked by five thugs - take out the biggest one first.
As for a real girl friend - stick with the hobby unless you find one you think you can spend the rest of your life with - the associated hassles are not worth the time or money.

A lot of agencies and independants have bodyguards or SOs that will be close by near the end of an appt, waiting on an all clear call. Her driver? There are a lot of possibilities but I seriously doubt it had anything to do with LE.

Thanks everyone.  I really couldn't see that the dude could be someone just like me.  That's probably the most realistic scenario.

He had the right look and build to set me off, but  he was very obvious. ( Other first hand stories did show the le can be obvious at times so mixed count here).  But there was no tail and that is the bottom line.

Turning back to go in his direction was my attempt at confronting the situation- if there's a next time I'll be more bold.  There was no need to start a conversation and now looking back he had a bit of surprised look on his face, probably nerves.  He could have thought i was le, ha!

Calm has re-entered my life, deep breath.

I'll continue to drive twice around the parking lot before a meeting, just try not to let it get to me and spoil the performance.