On the odd occasion where a semi-regular ML has surprised me by doing something particularly kind or generous for me I have always sent some kind of gift the following day. Especially if I was already of a mind to make our meetings even more regular. I never thought of my gift as an investment in the relationship -I would have sent it even if thought I’d never see the lady again. Gratitude is gratitude - and a well-considered gift always demonstrates gratitude and appreciation more than words can..

That said, there were 2 occasions where what I interpreted as spontaneous kindness and generosity from different ladies, was merely a very elaborate inserting of a hook with which they slowly tried to reel in. Both those occasions put me off punting for a long while. The second one permanently - though I’ve returned here out of morbid curiousity. I still do not regret giving those 2 ladies gifts though, after all a gift always says something about the giver - no matter how it is received.

On another two occasions where I had given ladies small gifts of appreciation for something specific, it was not long afterwards that I told the ladies that I would not be their customer or patronise their stores any longer (for various reasons unrelated to the ladies themselves). To my enormous surprise, both ladies asked to remain friends and “just friends” we have been ever since. With no sexual element to our relationships. Interestingly it was only these 2 ladies I had once given a modest gift to that wanted to know me after the money stopped. Other ladies, who had probably received a lot more money from me in terms of hours booked, couldn’t seem to care less about never seeing me again.