Secret Service guy shoulda just paid the woman

Common sense suggests that the fee for prostitution should be negotiated before, not after, the service is performed since the service can't be undone. I don't know any of this first hand, mind you, but it being the oldest profession, it seems the participants should have that part of the transaction down by now.

Therefore, this whole business about the secret service and the hooker raises a lot of practical questions. Apparently, some secret service agents were involved in dalliances with hookers in Cartagena. A dispute over the price broke out, and the cops were called -- for the dispute, not the prostitution since that was legal.

So let's put on our detective hats and surmise what must have gone down. Three scenarios emerge:

First, the agent was dissatisfied with the service and refused to pay.

Second, the parties did not negotiate in advance. The hooker mistakenly relied on the agent's sense of fairness, but the agent mistook her attention for infatuation, love, or maybe a gesture of international good will. His sense of importance put him in denial, and he refused to believe she wanted his money more than his manhood.

Third, the hooker quoted a price with which the agent agreed. But after the tryst, the hooker claimed to be owed a higher price. The agent refused to pay, and the hooker caused a scene.

Which was it? They were speaking different languages, but the language of love needs no translator. However, the first scenario can't be possible because there would have been no guarantee to enforce. The second scenario isn't possible because, as tempting as it might be to think it, no secret service agent could possibly be that stupid.

That leaves the third scenario. That one has to prevail because the hooker knew she had the upper hand with the local authorities -- mordida bought it -- and therefore the policia will always support a local business against a foreigner in a tourist hotel.

It's elementary, dear Watson.

Comments

[Johnny Dixon]

What about scenario 4, where the hooker and agent agree on a price that the agent has no intention of honoring, thinking that his "power" position will force her to give in to his discounted demands? I think that given the macho entitled attitude of the agents, this is most likely.

[Geo]

Could be, Johnny. In that case he deserved to get fired.