Hi Colette,
I don't think you were being too harsh on either of these IMHO.
My very rough calculations of indie work and answering your own calls: For every fifteen who contact you, there will be nine who fail at the first hurdle (i.e.can't understand a word they are saying, classic TWs, won't give you their address because obviously you want it to come over and tell their wives etc etc)
There will be five blokes who make it through the first round of initial checks, who then go onto fuck you about by rearranging/cancelling/running away when they arrive.......or who squeeze every last penny out of the booking by contacting you loads before, and also loads after with the promise of another booking that never materialises.....there'll be those turning up half an hour early or late without warning, not realising how both are a problem....... those who hang around when the times up, asking your name and getting moody when you don't tell them.... those who ask to meet for coffee and then getting moody and aggressive when you are polite but decline..... those who try to push your boundaries mid-booking.......
And then, then there is one in the fifteen who is polite, reasonable, fun to spend time with, understands how the transaction works, turns up on time, stays no longer than 5 or ten minutes over, (and you don't even mind that they have), brings a bottle of wine or leaves an extra twenty, and comes again in a few weeks.
You have to deal with the other 14 on the phone and by emails on a daily basis to find this odd one (in the meantime making sporadic dosh from those out of the 5 annoying ones who, despite being irritating as feckery for a multitude of reasons, do actually turn up and pay.)
The first example you gave, although I would have sent a far more blunt text (i.e. I am not a sex chat up line, and also busy at the moment. I will be in touch just before the booking as arranged") I would have probably cancelled if he persisted after I had made myself this clear, especially if I was having a bad day.
The second one- I would have ignored him as you did. First text maybe said "sorry no face pics, you can see my face next time" and ignored him after that unless he booked again, but the second text, would have definitely DEFINITELY ignored because of the reasons you said, and then written him off for not understanding the most basic of client rules.
Sorry to go on for so long- but I know from previous posts all the trouble you have had with agencies and so am delighted for you that going indie is something you are trying out more, as I think you'll benefit so much more from it- and so would hate for you to get disheartened from all of this indie crap that needs sifting through in the beginning, and end up going back to the stupid agencies who seem to fail you so often.
xxx