There seems to be a resurgence of gentlemen trying to make bookings using public payphones. I’ve had three this week, including one today.

Gentlemen, public payphones are much like calling and withholding your number. Security-wise it amounts to the same thing and it won’t get you anywhere.

Think about it. This is a vulnerable occupation that I’m in. And I realise that I put myself in a vulnerable position every time I meet a gentleman for an appointment. But at least I can somewhat reduce that vulnerability by not accepting withheld numbers and numbers from call boxes.

I totally understand and accept the need for anonymity. Do you know how many bookings I’ve had in the past year made by “John” and “David”, the two most commonly-used name given when making that booking? That’s cool with me, because you don’t know my real name either. But there is no way I’m going to take a booking from “John” calling from the street.

I’m not going to keep your number, I have no need for it. If I was that type of person I wouldn’t be in this job for nearly 8yrs. Get yourself a sim card gentleman. It’s easier to use and that way you don’t have to explain to anybody you don’t want to why you have two phones.

I’m as discreet as you’re ever going to get. In the past I’ve even advised would-be clients not to use their work email address when making a booking. Create an anonymous web-based address like hotmail or yahoo and lock it with a (not so) obvious password so nobody can get into it. And get that sim-card or that cheap second phone if you don’t want to use your personal one.

Because you won’t get very far with me calling from a public phone box saying this is “John”, can I make a booking with you please.