plain and simple  - dont ever feel guilty just switch your phone off and dont be tempted to anwser it  until if  you decided to return to escorting

Hi Carla.

Oh I'm sooo jealous that you are taking a break. Hope you have a wonderful time and get to do all the things you haven't got time for while your working. Have you got any plans?

I think you really need to be firm with your clients. Tell them that you are taking your break and will be uncontactable until the time that you decide to come back to work. These are grown men and you are a paid professional and NOT responsible for their emotional welfare in any way,shape or form,its not your job to 'hold them together'. Any requests to 'just make an exception for them' 'go out for lunch etc' just tell them politely but firmly that it wont be possible as you will be taking time out and doing other things. Then once you are off on your break switch your work phone off or if your tempted to peek at it don't respond to any calls or texts and if they send you any emails just don't open them.
And make sure you stick to your decision cos as soon as you respond to any messages after previously saying you wont they will mark you out as being indecisive and will manipulate it to their own advantage.
A client is a client,don't even waste your time worrying about their feelings because you can be damm sure that none of them spend any time worrying about yours. As evidenced by the ones who are 'distraught' you are taking time off,they aren't prepared to understand or care that you need a break,they are just bothered about their own needs been met.

Ouch that post sounds heartless doesn't it? I'm quite nice really,honest

Clients do sometimes start seeing you as some sort of light at the end of the tunnel.

Imagine you were working as a PA or something and quit your job. Your former boss calls you and asks you to do some paperwork for him, for free of course as you don't work for him anymore. You'd tell him there's not a chance in hell, I'm sure. Regardless of how nice and polite he was. This situation isn't much different to the one you're in is it? Escorting is your job, not your bloody life!

I'm not suggesting you say the above to your needy clients lol. Just try not to talk about leaving to them anymore. You've done everything right, advising them you're leaving etc so don't stress about it too much. Grin and bear it, lie back and think of shoes/handbags and all things lovely. Try not to snap. As you've said, they've been very good to you and it's better to end the Client/Escort relationship on a good note as you never know when/if you'll be back. Remain professional. Easier said than done sometimes but just my 2 pence worth.
If you do end up cracking and telling them to sling it, well shit happens doesn't it? Anybody can only put up with so much.

To keep temperature in check, try to remember the bottom line!

I left escorting and came back, I've done it a few times - but the clients who are worth having always came back to me. If you do come back and they don't se you, it's no big deal is it?

Love Alex x

Thanks for the advice everyone. I know I need to be firm- I have no trouble turning off my phone for good when I finish (and the date has been finalised for about three months now!)

I have four more regular meetings left- all really long meetings of betwen 6 hours and an overnight. At least two of these have been preceeded in the last few days by text messages at 2am and emails saying "I am beside myself" and "I want to have a really deep chat with you during our final meeting", oh, and "I am desperate to be friends, I will be desperately lonely without you etc etc".

I am just a bit furious that these men are being so selfish and putting their emotional problems on me when I have done nothing to provoke such feelings apart from bloody well being good at my job. Yes, the odd extra hour or cooked meal or bloody birthday cake etc have been provided by me over my career as a show of gratitude to really good regulars who pay brilliantly and have helped me immensely with their regular visits, but I have NEVER given a hint that it has been anything more. Miss Alex, you said about the light at the end of the tunnel idea- I completely agree, and I think this is the main problem as they are all elderly. This is another reason I don't want to hurt them though, they are just little old men.

I just do not know how to handle the last meetings with them though. They have obviously gotten confused- I have even said that I have a partner and that is one of the reasons I would like out of escorting for a while at least- NO way can thay misconstrue my feelings for them if I am bloody well saying this. But still, I am dreading these last meetings- do I say "I have just been doing my job really well and feel nothing" or should I be kind and admit that I am fond of them, but that this is a just a job and I wouldn't have seen them if money wasn't involved. Orrrrrr, do I try to swerve the conversation away from anything serious? Do I even owe any of them an explanation?!! The human side of me says chat to them and indulge their little desires to "talk things over", but the business side says fuck 'em, they are the ones who have ruined it in the end by acting so petulantly. HOW DARE THEY make me feel like I owe them explanations!! Grrrrrr.

Oh god, I am so ready for this break!! Thank you for all of your advice and for putting up with my increasingly irritated posts lately. This is quite possibly the most wonderful support network ever. Thank you. xxxxx

Try & be as gentle as you can, you don't really need anymore hassle do you? They have to learn that it's a business you've been running, if you were Waitrose & closing down would they be like this, NO they'd just shop elsewhere!!! It is nice when you get to know these guys but they have to let you get on with your own life. Good luck babes & enjoy.

Luv Kate xx