I've already had one of these. Met up with me, had a drink, said he had to take a call, then ran away and texted me from a few blocks away: "So sorry, can't do this. I understand, but I'd wasted a lot of time getting ready and put off other appointments for this.
He then texted me a few times that I was too nice a girl for this...
Oh god, the worst of the Whiny Ones - usually attempts to turn into an Emotional Manipulator but his attempts are too clumsy and his conscience keeps getting in the way.
For the record (although I know it's annoying to receive unsolicited 'helpful advice') I don't meet up with nervous clients for drinks in a public place ever, due to exactly these sorts of weird situations. I've had quite a few requests to do so: "Can we meet for a quick coffee first? I'd like a chance to break the ice" or "How about we start at the bar? Then it'll be more like a date" - and I mean, okay, great, break the ice, have a date. Those things are great! I'm 100% in support of both! But they must happen AFTER we have met in private and you have paid me in full, sir, otherwise you can go and have an ice-breaking date with yourself. I'm not a frickin' Single Lady Looking For Dates, am I? I'm a prossie and as much as some guys might need their egos soothed with the whole date-pretence thing, I'm not prepared to sacrifice my hourly fee for anybody's ego.
Also, some timewasters have a thing about seeing the escort - they might call you to a hotel room and then not answer their door, but they'll be looking at you through the spyhole and possibly wanking. Or just going "OMG a real live sex worker!!!!!" and texting their mates. I dunno, lol. I think the guys who want to meet in public first might be a slightly braver extension of this - they get their thrills from making you do something and not having to pay you for it, perhaps? All I know is that when I politely and smillingly explain than they need to pay in full at the very beginning of any appointment, no matter how much time they want to spend staring at me while I drink a glass of wine, they mysteriously have something come up so they can't make the booking after all.
I like clients who do what I say when I say it and there isn't a shortage of them so far so I'm not going to start jumping through any hoops for the chance to perhaps (or perhaps not) get paid. If the client can't follow my safety procedures and meet me in private to pay the fee first, then they will just have to try to manipulate someone else into a free date. And don't get me started on the White Knights! Arrrgh! "Oh, you're so pretty and sweet, you're too good for this job!"
Madonna/whore complex much, you stupid man?