This was a very strange experience.  I was in DC on business and arranged about a week in advance with a provider who appeared to be exactly what I was looking for. I sent my info, references, etc., and specified that I was looking for a 3 hr dinner date.  She got back to me, said it's all good. and I said we should touch base to make final arrangements that evening.

When I contacted her that day to finalize arrangements for that evening, I started getting lots of excuses about how evenings don't really work, etc etc.  After some back and forth (including me moving the time up so she wouldn't have to be out so late), I got an email telling me that her assistant/driver had been under instructions that she rarely does evenings, that he had been the one writing to me and was just protecting her, that she really didn't object to seeing me for dinner that night, but her driver won't take her.  So she asked if I could do the next morning for breakfast.  I said yes, wrote back with a time and my hotel room number.  

So I ended up having no company that evening.  The next morning, bright and early, I got an email from her saying she is on her way.  Well, she never showed.  I sent a couple of followups asking if she is ok, but I heard nothing back.  

Anyone have any idea what happened here?  What would make someone yank me around like that?  Especially early in the morning?  She had checked me out, so she knew I was no creep.  So what happened?

I could speculate on several scenarios, but all of them would likely be wrong

We all have separate lives in this hobby and, let's face it, we can't always make the timing work.  I know there have been times when I have had to cancel last minute because of my employment or other commitments that come up.  I do agree though, that she should have just rescheduled and let you go somewhere else.  That just shows a disrespect for your time.

This has happened to me. I remember sitting in my car for an hour outside a hotel in Tysons waiting to hear from a lady who agreed to see me but didn't have the courtesy to cancel our appointment. Complications in life arise for both providers and hobbyists, but most providers do let me know at least an hour in advance that they can't make it. I know that DC guys don't have the best reputation on this subject, but there's no excuse for NCNS on either side.

Might of been a waste of time and money.

I've been doing this a looong time.  I've experienced several NCNS from of course the BP types but even the so-called tried and true “reviewed” ladies.  I've learned, as Sidney noted, NCNS are a "blessing" in disguise.  If you get indications that the provider is a “hot mess,” as you did, you should not expect anything but the worst.  Once you got the email about her, her driver, not doing evenings, etc. etc. you shoulda simply cancelled then and/or if you wanted to hold out hope that it may work out you still should have arranged a back-up plan.

Yeah, shit happens, but given the particulars of your experience, clearly that appointment was on a road to nowhere and you had the signs early in the process.

Always, always, always have a backup plan.

Never get so locked in to seeing a particular provider that you get left holding your dick in your hand.  
I’ve even experienced so-called ATFs who I saw for years go from reliable to crack-head in 60 seconds.  Who knows why this happens but it does for a host of reasons that are speculative at best unless you know the particulars and details of a ladies civi life.

In the immortal words of Bud Fox, from one of my favorite movies Wall Street, to Gordon Gecko..."Gordon don't emotional.  Do you want to sell or hold?  Make a decision Gordon."

So in Accounting terms chalk it off to pilferage, spoiled goods, write offs.  Cost of doing business.  Nature of the hobby game