What's up, Doc?

[BobbyThompson]

It happened to my friend, a retired escort, and I, at the STD clinic while we were getting our regular checkups. We were sitting in the waiting room, and I look up and see what I think to be a client I had met a year ago. I mention it to my friend and he says I'm probably just imagining it. At this point, I'm spazzing since I'm about to enter what is going to be a reallllly uncomfortable situation. Well, my friend goes in first to the doctor, and comes out with the confirmation I need. It was his client as well! So, he calls me in and I'm immediately singing the awkward song of awkwardness. I get uncomfortable for as little as wearing mismatched colors, so you can imagine the particular level of mortification going on at this moment.

 

I anxiously tell him I'd really prefer to leave and schedule an appointment another day. He presses, "Why, is something wrong? Are you nervous? Is it me." To which I reply "Of course it's you! You and your youness!" When I get nervous I mangle the English language. Anyway, it becomes apparent to me that he has absolutely no idea who I am nor that we've met. After another 30-seconds (and in a situation like that, 30-seconds feels like an eternity) it dawns on him that we have met, though he still didn't seem to recall.

 

So, I ask you, how on Earth did he not remember? How many people must he be sleeping with??? Should I worry that this person has all my information including social security number? Bah!

[marc anthony]

>

>So, I ask you, how on Earth did he not remember?

 

Do they hire blind doctors at these free clinics?

[JamesK840]

>So, I ask you, how on Earth did he not remember? How many

>people must he be sleeping with??? Should I worry that this

>person has all my information including social security

>number? Bah!

 

Bobby, you're amazingly cute and it's a shame (for him) he can't remember, but how many hot naked twinks does this poor guy have to see every week? Imagine the sexual frustration... I would guess he hires quite a lot. Keep in mind he can't initiate anything with patients and he would probably be more alarmed to recognize you on an escort date after having you as a patient, or maybe if he works and plays in WeHo he tries not to recognize people as a way to not think about ethical concerns.

 

If you don't think you can trust your doctor with your personal information, regardless of other circumstances, you probably need to be paying more for healthcare!

 

If it's just STD checks and the like AIM healthcare (in the valley) is an interesting and well-specialized place...

[basket]

It seems quite an overreaction to me. You will fuck with the guy but not allow him to take your temp? Or are you just insulted that he didn't remember you?

[Guest skrubber]

I would remember you.

[Uncle Bill]

Your momentary awkwardness aside, I can't believe that anyone could forget you -- even if they just saw you walking down the street, LOL. I certainly have very vidid (and fond) memories from ... um ... a few closer encounters with you

[FourAces]

Bobby I have to agree with another poster it seems like you overreacted a bit. That aside I'm sure he remembers you saw how uncomfortable you were and tried to have you relax by "pretending" not to know you.

 

In any eventhad I been the doctor I would have felt even more comfortable knowing you're concerned about your health and take responsibility to get checked out.

 

Now if I am completely wrong if he really doesn't recall you then I hardly would be concerned about your SS# :7

 

RT

[Trixie]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

First, allow me to tell you how I treasure the above phrase!

But really Bobby, you're making a mountain out of a molehill (as so many escorts are inclined to do, but that's a different story...). As Four Aces said, I'm sure Doc was trying to be discreet, and put you at ease. Given that he works at an STD clinic, I'm sure he sees plenty of escorts, and I'll bet he's run into more than one client there with whom he's been a client during more joyous appointments.

He's a doctor, for heaven's sake... specializing in STDs. If anything, I would think you'd want to put him on your prefered client list.

Do you think he'd try to blackmail you? That'd be a switch... Doctor blackmails escort... certainly an iconoclastic situation. The only real reason I could think of for you to freak out over this particular doctor would be that he knows (from experience) that you are HIV+ and indulge in unsafe sexual practises... and if he knows that from personal experience, he's not likely to start squawking.

I've met escorts I've played with quite a few times at my work and also in social settings. Sometimes, they've been with other clients, sometimes with their significant other... always, we've greeted each other cordially, made breezy, pleasant conversation, and said adieu.

It happens all the time. Unless there's quite a bit more to the story than what you've mentioned, I see no reason why you should have your panties all in a bunch!

 

Trix

[FourAces]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

wow Trixie I really enjoy your posts but this time with all respect I have some mixed feeling about your comments. While I obviously agree that Bobby might have overreacted I think suggesting a reason (i.e. HIV+) might be going a little too far. As you even mentioned in your close that there might be more to this than Bobby shared with us.

 

That said I do agree about meeting escorts I have hired in social settings and no problem at all. Sometimes it is just a nod and a quick hello, sometimes it is no acknowledgement and others it's a long conversation. In fact, just last week I was playing cards at Orleans it was about 3am and this young guy sat down. I knew that I had seen him before, but not playing cards, it was in my bed :7 He was a guy I had met from craigslist... just a one nighter. We looked at each other, briefly smiled and that was it, no big deal, well till he beat me in a hand for $350.!!!

 

I feel Bobby is a very responsible young man and like we all do from time to time (young or old and or fat like me) we tend not to always make the correct decisions. Anyway, as I started out by saying I have mixed feelings and just wanted to share them.

 

RT

[Flower]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

I really think Bobby's concern is the collision of his two lives(Sienfeld episode #58 --his escort life and his private life. When that happens to one who likes to keep personal stuff private, then that can be pretty upsetting, especially to one who enjoys his privacy, even though there may be no practical consequence.

 

I personally never give out my SS# except for medical(non-std testing) or the very few other required purposes, regardless of who is asking for it--it's something I don't do. Having a SS# can be the first step to stalking or identity theft, so I can understand Bobby's concern, although to have a professional such as this doc who's bound by some of the strictest confidentiality statutes in the USA, and who could have his license to practice suspended if he misused confidential information, would be the last of my worries.

 

I suppose if during their encounter last year, they didn't part on good terms then I'd be more concerned, but the doc has too much at risk to misuse confidential information unless the stakes were mighty big.

 

I'm sure he sees so many people a day, week, month, year, with a high percentage being hot younger guys such as Bobby or other escorts, that he might genuinely not place someone he's seen as a client, without any insult to Bobby, although most of us who have seen Bobby wouldn't make that same blunder }(

 

As an aside, and since Bobby said the clinic had his SS#, I regularly go to a clinic in SF that is totally anonymous, as opposed to only "confidential" -- I'm just a number and even if I were to somehow contract a communicable disease, they would be unable to report me by name to any health authority, nor could anyone, such as a health insurer subpoena my records. Personally, that's the only kind of STD testing I'd do as long as it is available.

 

For instance if I were to test positive at a "confidential" clinic, then they'd have to report to the Health Department, which is just one step closer to a life or health insurance company finding out at whcih point I'm no longer insurable!

 

In California, "confidential" records are subject to subpoena and disclosure under certain circumstances, whereas anonymous records are not nor by definition could they be--the facility never knows your name nor do they have your SS#. I do this based on the continued erosion of our rights of privacy and other rights under the federal constitutional, as well as the mere fact of being tested, even with clean results, means that you are "risky" to a health insurance company.

[BobbyThompson]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

First of all, Trixie, I think it was wrong of you to suggest that I may have HIV and that's why I was upset. Even the slight implication can be really harmful to an escort's career let alone a direct accusation, so to be perfectly clear, I'm HIV negative and continue to practice safe sex.

 

It does not surprise me that Flower, whom I've seen on several occasions, understood the EXACT point I was trying to get across. I am a very private person, hence my lack of face pictures in my ads, and it was just really bizarre to have an ex-client as my health care professional. Simple as that. I guess it is not bizarre to you guys but it was incredibly twilight-zone to me. What if you and your wife were out to dinner and your ex-escort turned out to be your waiter. AWKWARD. No one likes to be confronted so directly with things they like to keep private.

[JamesK840]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

>I am a very private person, hence my lack of face

>pictures in my ads, and it was just really bizarre to have an

>ex-client as my health care professional. Simple as that. I

>guess it is not bizarre to you guys but it was incredibly

>twilight-zone to me.

 

It makes sense to want to keep private things private, which is why I mentioned AIM Healthcare Foundation, I think they do annon. testing still in our area.

 

But I would think you're going to run into these awkward situations fairly often, especially around where you live.

 

The doctor, though, should be the least of your concerns. As mentioned, he could loose his license (and a hell of a civil suit) by misusing your information. Hell, he'd even be taking a risk by continuing a sexual relationship with you... which could be another reason he fiened ignorance, to keep that door open... I would! :9

[Bilbo]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

Granted that what Trixie said was a little awkwardly worded, perhaps, I certainly didn't get out of it that she was saying you are HIV+, only that that was one of the extremely few (perhaps only) circumstances under which she thought that your reaction might be expected by a health care pro.

[+ Charlie]

Much as we all like to think that we make indelible impressions on others, it just ain't so. I hired the same escort in three different places, from ads with three different names, and he never gave the slightest hint that he recognized me--in fact, on the second occasion he insisted that we had never met before. The fourth time it happened (in yet another place with another name), he agreed that he had seen me before, but he couldn't remember the context. I have to admit to the same fault from time to time; the most embarrassing was when my brother-in-law brought home his new lover, who recognized me instantly from a passionate all-day encounter we had a year earlier, but I didn't remember it at all until I looked it up in my old diaries. Your doctor may just be a busy man with a poor memory for faces (or other body parts).

[BobbyB]

I have nothing really to add other than to share a couple of observations:

 

To Bobby: As you know, we shared the unique and wonderful experience of personally knowing Hooboy. The first thing that occurred to me after reading your post was that he probably would have beeen on the phone to me laughing hysterically, "Did you see Bobby's hilarious post?"

 

How he loved life's irony. Seeing life as one big comedy was one of his greatest talents, and it made me miss him all over again. But it also brought such a huge smile to my face that I started to laugh out loud. It was then that I realized I may now finally be on the road to recovery, so for that I personally wish to thank you.

 

To Flower: What an excellent post. And advice. Please heed it, Bobby...hell, please heed it everybody! The only caveat is to your statement, "...but the doc has too much at risk to misuse confidential information unless the stakes were mighty big."

 

Have you seen Bobby's stake? It's mighty big! :9

 

- BobbyB

[+ Lucky]

The suggestion that Booby Thompson was there because he has HIV was an unwarranted assumption on Trixie's part. But Trixie's motives have never been malicious here, so I hope that no harm was done.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

A Spazz A Day

 

>It was his client as well!

 

If, in a large city such as Los Angeles, one client has hired two random escorts, both of whom are not currently working, it is likely, as some of the clients suggested, that this gentlemen may hire quite a bit. Therefore, it is unlikely that he might remember people, especially from only a single meeting.

 

I have a remarkably good memory, particularly a very good visual memory and I can remember where I first met some of my regular clients, even if it was three years ago, what they were wearing, etc. It may be, Bobby, that this is also true for you, but far less so for your client, especially if he sees a large number of strangers regularly, which he would at an STD clinic, and unlike a more typical medical practice, he may not make it a practice to remember individuals because there would be a low likelihood that they would return to that clinic or that he would be the person to see them on a follow-up visit.

 

 

> Should I worry that this

>person has all my information including social security

>number?

 

I am a very private person as well and no one has my social security number, including my health plan and my primary care physician. There are a number of places where you can be seen, at little or no charge, in Los Angeles, for STD check ups, without giving out a real name, address, phone number, much less anything more significant like a social security number. As James suggested, the AIM foundation provides testing but some of the AHF clinics do as well, as does the Los Angeles Free Clinic.

 

Good luck.

 

http://www.gaydar.co.uk/francodisantis

 

http://hometown.aol.com/francodisantis/myhomepage/profile.html

[ErikMcAlister]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

Why is it any worse (and worse to a career) to suggest that an escort is HIV + than to suggest that a medical professional would improperly use information obtained in the course of performing his services?

[+ Lucky]

RE: The Song and Dance

 

You only need to read the post in the Strip Club forum by jaynj to realize how detrimental to an escort a Poz status can be. He wants 90% of Montreal's streeet hustlers run out of town for being HIV Poz.

[ErikMcAlister]

RE: The Song and Dance

 

And accusations of misuse of personal information by a doctor aren't harmful?

Stop the drooling adoration of Bobby for a minute & get a better grip on reality.

[+ Lucky]

RE: The Song and Dance

 

A reply (sort of) within one minute! Congrats (hehehe) on your 300th post!

[BobbyThompson]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

MAJOR EDIT:

 

I re-read what I wrote, and I'm reminded by what my mother used to tell me when I was just a young lad: "Sweetie, if you can't say something nice about someone, sit down and have a really strong gin and tonic."

[Flower]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

>Why is it any worse (and worse to a career) to suggest that

>an escort is HIV + than to suggest that a medical professional

>would improperly use information obtained in the course of

>performing his services?

>

>

...well, not to get into the middle of you being a little bitchy, but the answer seems like a no-brainer--all the posters here, as well as that doctor) have anonymity -- a luxury escorts don't have!!! --duh!

[ErikMcAlister]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

Don't get sore with me just because I think your little favorite is a huge hypocrite of a drama queen.

Thanks!

[Luv2play]

RE: The Awkward Song of Awkwardness

 

Flower, you missed the point of Erik's post. It has nothing to do with the doctor's anomimity, but rather that if he were to use confidential information concerning a client, that would be as detrimental to his career as an HIV+ status would be to most escorts (bearing in mind that some escorts advertise this fact about themselves). Bobby, in his original post, seemed very concerned about ensuring his own privacy, but did not seem to be troubled about impugning the doctor's professional and ethical standards by suggesting, however obliquely, that the doctor might divulge his private info to third parties. In this case, I have to agree with Erik that there appears to be little difference between the two concerns.