Deposits speak louder than words

When I first dipped my toes in the clandestine waters of the companion industry, there came a point in the booking process when my stomach tried to escape through my abdomen.

We’re both ready to lock in the date and the time, there’s just one more thing I need to ask.

“Are you able to pay a deposit?”

I’d wait, reticent to hear that they’d cancel the booking altogether.

Truthfully, when I first put on my red bottoms, I had little pushback from my gentlemen enquirers.

They were happy to pay deposits, some even paid the full fee up front. 

It wasn’t until around 6 months that someone voiced their apprehension.

And more recently, I’ve found this wariness far more prevalent.

We put down deposits on houses.

We put down a deposit with marketing agencies.

I put down deposits for my hair, nail and lash appointments.

It’s a completely commonplace business practice. 

And yet, it’s one that some people can’t fathom.

Why do I need a deposit?

I’m promised all sorts of things by those who text me late at night.

They promise to be a gentleman, that they’ll show up on time and that I needn’t worry.

But as an adult who’s experienced the blows of the full contact sport that is life, I know that there’s often a lack of congruence between people’s words and their actions.

So I need a deposit.

People are more likely to show up when they pay one, and less likely to cancel if they’ve already put down $500.

Common Complaints

“But I don’t want to leave a paper trail!”

Ah! Yes. The infamous paper trail. Look, I don’t want you to either. I want our little rendezvous to be kept a secret as much as you do.

There are a few discreet options for paying a deposit: some will provide bank details for a card-less deposit at an ATM (I do not).

You can also buy a physical gift voucher of your companion’s choosing with cash, and send them a photo of the voucher code.

“But I’ve been burned before!”

Sir, that well and truly, to put it bluntly, sucks. I empathise with you.

However, there’s a few ways you can make sure you won’t get burned again.

Firstly, book a provider who’s been at it a few years. A provider who’s managed to build a name the industry wouldn’t have made it if they were frequently stealing deposits.

It doesn’t make common sense to do so.

Personally, I’d much rather show up to your hotel room, have an amazing time, and leave with the full fee in my wallet.

“But I might have to cancel!”

It’s true that life has a funny way of sending inconveniences our way.

But as a grown man, you need take responsibility for your schedule.

Plan ahead, much in the same way you’d book a dentist appointment or a trip to the barber.

If you’re concerned something might pop up ­– an aunt dies, your child breaks their arm, you get called in to work – check your companion’s deposit policy. Many will be happy to transfer your deposit to another booking if you don’t have a history of cancelling or changing booking dates and times.

Essentially, paying a deposit is basic decency.

It demonstrates that you’re a man of your word and that you can be trusted, and that, my friend, will guarantee an experience you’ll never forget.