The Valet

About a month ago, I was in a local photography store when a man struck up a conversation with me.  Initially, we started talking about photography, camera lenses, and things of that nature.  I mentioned some photos I had just taken and he asked what I was going to do with them.

In hindsight it was kind of a strange question.  (What does anyone do with their photos?)  Without thinking I answered, "Oh, I'll be posting them next week."

"Post them where?" he inquired.

Careful not to mention the actual name of my blog, I answered, "Oh, I sometimes do a little writing on the Internet."  

(Ahem, almost every day ... but I didn't mention THAT.)

This led to a host of questions as to what I write about. 

I had barely answered, "It's a lifestyle blog - I write about my life here in Orange County, share photos, and .... "

Before I could say another word, the man began talking and I don't think he stopped for the next forty five minutes.

He wanted to share with me his Orange County stories.

As it turns out, the man had owned, for many years, a valet company.  His company serviced a lot of the "best" restaurants, hotels and establishments in Orange County.  He said, "There's absolutely nothing I haven't seen."  

The Valet proceeded to tell me story, after story, after story.  He flung around the names of celebrities and the richest of Orange County's rich.  His stories had the ring of truth.  I can spot a bullshitter a mile away and this man was sincere.

What I learned from him, however, is the rich go to a lot of work, and spare no expense, to have illicit affairs.

I've never had an affair, but I imagine it's a lot of work to keep up with two separate relationships regardless of your finances.  I can barely keep straight the lives of the people who live in my house, let alone adding anyone else into the mix.

The valet told me about celebrities paying him to "hide" their cars so their spouses/friends/acquaintances wouldn't see their cars where they weren't supposed to be - whether it be a hotel or a restaurant.

Can you imagine?

"Excuse me, here's an extra $100 for you to go hide my car until I'm ready to leave."

He also told me stories of people paying him to drive them back to where they were supposed to be in the first place.  That's right - they arrived at a hotel with someone they shouldn't have, presumably enjoyed their rendezvous, and then paid a valet generously to drive them back to wherever their car had been left.

As an example, Jack tells his wife he's at the local sports bar with the guys.  He drives there and leaves his car, visible, in the parking lot.  His girlfriend picks him up and they go to a hotel.  Jack leaves his girlfriend, cozy in bed at the hotel, at 2 a.m. and pays the valet to take him back to his car at the sports bar.  From the sports bar, Jack then drives back home to his wife.

So much planning!

The valet also told me about people who paid his attendants to drive them to other locations.  For example, Mike shows up at a fancy restaurant.  Mike told his wife he has to attend a business dinner there.  Mike pays the valet to park his car in a visible spot.  He then slips the valet an extra $100 to drive him a few blocks away to a nice hotel where he will be meeting his mistress.

I've used men's names in my above examples, but The Valet told me stories revolving around both men and women.  I know affairs are common.  I know rich people in other locations probably do similar things.  It just never occurred to me before that anyone would go to so much effort.

I suppose there's nothing new here, but it's new to me.  

I walked away stunned at the amount of work, deception, money, and effort people put into pulling off an affair.  If it's worth going through that much to spend time with someone other than your spouse - why not just get a divorce?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Comments

[Jan]

If you think the expense of cheating on your spouse is high, try getting divorced - that $100 for the valet to drive him somewhere to boink some girl he's having a fling with is a drop in the bucket compared to what he'd have to pay out in a divorce. And, for a lot of these people, the act of cheating is the thrill, the main attraction - if they got divorced, they wouldn't have to sneak around any more and it would cease to be "fun."

I'm not defending the cheater's behavior, just explaining why not a divorce.

[missy]

The first that struck me this after I read this interesting post is - why so few comments? I am exhausted just reading about all the shenanigans!

[Kelly]

I agree with Jan. I think it is the thrill of cheating they're after.

[ocshannon714]

I knew of someone in OC that cheated on his wife for 30 years with the same women. The "wife" was aware of the affair, for most of that thirty years. She didn't want to bother with a divorce, and felt that in the end she would actually lose too much money. He was VERY wealthy, well known, and must have had a good pre-nup...because I can't fathom staying with a man, knowing he is having an affair. And - what about these women that are with these men, KNOWING that they are married? Eww! Love this topic though, because I think it's a lot more common than any of us realize.

[Mike Krause]

This way is probably cheaper than paying for a messy divorce. The intrique probably also makes everything more exciting. (I'm only speculating, mind you.)

[di]

Happens everywhere, not just in affluent neighborhoods. Instead of having a valet they just ask their best friend Bubba to hide their car.

Di

[Sandi]

I saw an affair in the works right here in our Ladera Ranch Albertson's parking lot. I was a basket case the rest of the week. Who knows where these two were from or where they were supposed to be but it was INTENSE! I thought about their spouses all day. Why are spouses so dumb?

I am in the "get a divorce" camp.

[Erica]

Non-working wives lose years of his potential income after a divorce and husbands lose half of everything plus legal fees and alimony.

[Poppy]

Besides the money issues that is my thought exactly. Want to sleep with someone other than your partner? Get a divorce all ready!

[Rob]

It's not just money or sex. It's pain and emotion and children and years. Divorce isn't like taking an aspirin. It's a hard thing to do.

[Erica]

Rob, cheating causes more pain and poisons many more years than divorce ever could.