Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

My Personal Relationship With A Shemale Escort

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • My Personal Relationship With A Shemale Escort

    INTRODUCTION
    I'm a hard working and successful entrepreneur. I'm not rich, but I'm not poor either … I just make enough to own a home, eat and enjoy a nice life of not working for somebody else.

    First I'd like to mention that the following story is my own personal experience with one individual and in no way is meant to paint all escorts with the same brush.

    I will be using assumed names in this story, as my purpose is to provide a good read of my experiences for others to learn from and not to humiliate anyone publicly. I will call her Leslie in this story. She lives in Toronto, I live in the west.

    COMMUNICATION

    It all started innocently enough, sending flirty PMs to each other, then postings on threads in the forums for a little over a year, much like many of you do. One day her face appeared under "people you may know" on my Facebook account, so I added her. Once in a while we chatted on Facebook but nothing too serious.

    Last April, 2012, I received a call that my mother was ill in the hospital so I made plans to fly to Toronto. I told Leslie on Facebook and she told me she wanted to meet me.

    THE FIRST FACE TO FACE MEETING

    After arriving in Toronto and spending a lot of time with my mother, I had some free time on my hands and gave Leslie a call. She came to my hotel room then after the customary donation we did the dirty deed.

    Afterwards we chatted for about an hour like old friends. Apparently she had just broken up with her boyfriend after living with him for a few months. She told me that she was very bored living with him in northern Ontario and wanted to move back to Toronto.

    He put her in an apartment, paid for her first 3 months rent then broke up with her. He's wealthy and kind, but not stupid.

    (UPDATE 11/26/12: I've found out that he was actually still paying her rent every month until the end of November, 2012. Leslie lied about it to me in order to get more money out of me with her sad "I'm so poor" stories. I've also found out that they never did "break up" ... she was continuing to let him believe she was being loyal to him so that he would continue to pay her rent. There is one way to tell if she is lying ... her lips are moving.)

    The next day, I was at the airport waiting for my flight to head home, when Leslie texted "I will miss you so much, I think I'm falling for you" … which really surprised me, so I just texted "me too".

    BLOSSOMING RELATIONSHIP

    We began texting each other frequently, then using video chat then phoning each other. From the time I woke up, to the time I went to bed we were texting, getting to know each other better. The chats were usually initiated by Leslie. She posted on Facebook that she has fallen hard … I knew she was referring to me.

    One day she texted that she wanted to be my girlfriend. I told her point blank that I could not be in a serious relationship with a working escort. Some guys can emotionally handle their girlfriend being boinked 10 times a day by strangers … unfortunately I'm not one of those guys and I told her that up front before we went any further.

    She quite convincingly said she was quitting in a month and will be living with her family. I believed her. I allowed myself to fall for her … hard. I'm usually stronger than this but with everything going on with my mother I was feeling particularly vulnerable at that time.

    RETURN TO TORONTO, OUR 2ND MEETING

    My mother fell ill again, so I returned to Toronto. This time to not only visit my mom but to explore my new found relationship. Leslie was living with me in my hotel room for close to 2 weeks while I was there. When I wasn't visiting my mother, the two of us were going on dates, cuddling, having sex and making plans for our future. She told me she wanted to live with me. I told her that right now isn't a good time, please give me a couple of months.

    She said she would no longer have sex with me until we live together (!!!) Right then I should have known that something was a little "off" and just said my good-byes to her … but unfortunately I was emotionally hooked.

    I asked about what happened with her ex boyfriend, she told me he was terminally ill and that he told her to find a new boyfriend. Also that the boyfriend before him beat her up so severely that she spend a week in the hospital. I felt so much pity for her and wanted to give my all of my emotional support.

    Before leaving for the airport we had a huge emotional farewell, lots of tears … I almost missed my flight. When I got home, the texting, video chats and phone calls became even more intense.

    RETURN TO TORONTO, OUR 3RD MEETING

    A couple of weeks later I received the call that my mother passed away. I was an emotional wreck at this point. Leslie invited me to stay at her apartment this time. After dealing with my mother's funeral arrangements and cleaning out her apartment, I spent the next few days with Leslie. She told me that she would be escorting for another month. I said "Okay… I thought you were going to live with your family?" "I changed my mind" she replied. "Just one more month." Hmmm

    THE LOST PHONE

    Leslie apparently lost her phone. She said in almost tears that she couldn't survive without a phone. I offered to give her an old phone I had until she could get a new one. She laughed at the idea … only an iPhone would do. She apparently couldn't go on a phone plan because she didn't have her citizenship papers yet. Huh? To make her happy, I sign her up on my phone plan to give her an iPhone.

    Yeah, I know, what can I say, I was a blind idiot in love.

    THE VISIT OUT WEST

    I went home, we continued our text relationship as before. I invited her to stay with me for a couple of weeks, and she told me she would need to "work" while she was here to pay for her rent. I reluctantly agreed, although I didn't like it, I'm not really rich enough to be able to match the amount of money she is used to making and she did need to pay her rent at the end of the month, so I put her up in a hotel downtown.

    When she came here, we spend the first night together and made some plans for the 2nd night. One of her shemale escort friends was also here, and they met me at my business. I left early so that we could go have some fun. I dropped Leslie and her friend off at her hotel, as they apparently had some "clients". She would phone me when they were done.

    I went to the casino across the street for dinner and to wait for her call. 2 hours later I get a call that she just wants to go out with just her friend for a few drinks, and that she hopes I would understand.

    Okay, whatever. So I spend a few more hours playing the slots. Later driving down the main drag to go home … I spot her and her friend on the sidewalk, with their arms around a couple of guys (wtf)

    I phoned her, she was very drunk (as she often is). What can I say, we had a BIG fight. I just went home.

    Next day she phoned me in tears, apologizing. "Please let me make it up to you, I'm so so sorry, it's all my fault, I never meant to hurt you … blah blah blah."

    I gave in.

    THE TRUTH REVEALED, EYES WIDE OPEN

    Things started to get very rocky between us at this point, I'm starting to lose my trust in her. I felt that she wasn't sorry that she ditched me for someone else on her 2nd night here, but that she was only sorry that she got caught.

    I began wondering how much more she was lying to me. I noticed photos that were hidden from me on her Facebook account. I noticed Facebook conversations that seemed broken up as if parts of it were hidden from me.

    I got hold of her Facebook password.

    I snooped.

    The photos that were hidden were of her and the boyfriend that beat her up … taken the evening before my last trip to Toronto, announcing on Facebook that he was her new boyfriend!!!

    I found that she was having free late night rendezvous with boys 10 years younger than her that she liked to trick into believing she was a gg. (sorry babe, but you aren't THAT passable…)

    I found a 2nd Facebook account that I was blocked from, where she gushes her love and affection for the terminally ill so called "ex" boyfriend that she used to live with in northern Ontario.

    He, no doubt, was being blocked from the other Facebook account where she was gushing her love for ME.

    It finally made me start thinking with the head on my shoulders instead of the one between my legs.

    She is a top notch con artist and a user. A low life.

    I cancelled her phone service. I asked for the phone back, I asked her to pay her $300 phone bill … but of course being a very selfish & materialistic person … she refused.

    Leslie told me that I couldn't afford her.

    She was right. And I'm glad. The high price for low lifes these days...

    Basically Leslie was using me to get free phone service, and if all went as planned, to get free accommodation by living with me.

    (UPDATE 11/26/12: She has now found a new guy to buy her expensive meals, spent hundreds at casinos and she will probably be moving in with him soon to get her free accommodation. A zebra can't change it's stripes .... )

    The terminally ill rich 2nd boyfriend from up north? She was stringing him along in hopes of getting a generous inheritance when he died, or if possible to get him to marry her so she would get it all.

    The boyfriend who beat her up? Sex. He's very young, very immature, mindless and broke. Just sex.

    EPILOGUE

    It's been over a month now since we broke up. Now that all the hurt and rage has subsided in me, I look back and realize how lucky I was to end it. If I didn't see her true colours I just may have been living with her now and ruined my life.

    I looked at her Facebook account last night for the first time in a month. She recently spent the night with the "ex" boyfriend who previously put her in the hospital and I'm sure he will put her back in the hospital again some day.
    She recently took him to court over the beating ... I guess he gave her another slap when she stayed at his place and she didn't like it.

    She's now into drugs, there is a photo of a big bag of pot on her Facebook with an invitation for guys to come over and help her smoke it (probably smoked it all along, but was hiding it from me. Not a problem, I used to smoke it myself sometimes ... but it's just another thing she was hiding from me.)

    She went out with some older guy in a suit a few times and probably did her best to drain his bank account as quickly as possible.

    Leslie has been escorting for close to 3 years now but she is always broke.

    While all the other escorts invested in themselves by getting boobs etc., Leslie is flat chested.

    Where did all that money go? As soon as she gets it, she spends it. Taxi rides all over the city, clubbing to the wee hours, eating in expensive restaurants, drugs, gambling in casinos and bingo.

    Her escort money is gone within 24 hours of receiving it. Then she will ask one of her many boyfriends for some financial help to buy food, while putting on an act of being embarrassed.

    ADVICE

    My advice to anyone considering entering a relationship with an escort? Make sure you really know who you are dealing with, ask questions, ask MORE questions, if you catch them lying, walk away before you get in too deep.

    Just look out for number one. Think with your brain, not your dick.

    Yes this is my first post under "Dreamweaver" but the above story is absolutely true, although some of the events happened in a slightly different order than what I've written. Want to know the name of the escort?

    Send me a PM, maybe I'll tell you.



    The End.
    (… and a happy beginning for me!)

    Last edited by Dreamweaver; 11-26-2012, 02:39 PM. Reason: Updates

  • #2
    This looks... cathartic..

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Dreamweaver View Post
      INTRODUCTION
      I'm a hard working and successful entrepreneur. I'm not rich, but I'm not poor either ? I just make enough to own a home, eat and enjoy a nice life of not working for somebody else.

      First I'd like to mention that the following story is my own personal experience with one individual and in no way is meant to paint all escorts with the same brush.

      I will be using assumed names in this story, as my purpose is to provide a good read of my experiences for others to learn from and not to humiliate anyone publicly. I will call her Leslie in this story. She lives in Toronto, I live in the west.

      COMMUNICATION

      It all started innocently enough, sending flirty PMs to each other, then postings on threads in the forums for a little over a year, much like many of you do. One day her face appeared under "people you may know" on my Facebook account, so I added her. Once in a while we chatted on Facebook but nothing too serious.

      Last April, 2012, I received a call that my mother was ill in the hospital so I made plans to fly to Toronto. I told Leslie on Facebook and she told me she wanted to meet me.

      THE FIRST FACE TO FACE MEETING

      After arriving in Toronto and spending a lot of time with my mother, I had some free time on my hands and gave Leslie a call. She came to my hotel room then after the customary donation we did the dirty deed.

      Afterwards we chatted for about an hour like old friends. Apparently she had just broken up with her boyfriend after living with him for a few months. She told me that she was very bored living with him in northern Ontario and wanted to move back to Toronto.

      He put her in an apartment, paid for her first 3 months rent then broke up with her. He's wealthy and kind, but not stupid.

      The next day, I was at the airport waiting for my flight to head home, when Leslie texted "I will miss you so much, I think I'm falling for you" ? which really surprised me, so I just texted "me too".

      BLOSSOMING RELATIONSHIP

      We began texting each other frequently, then using video chat then phoning each other. From the time I woke up, to the time I went to bed we were texting, getting to know each other better. The chats were usually initiated by Leslie. She posted on Facebook that she has fallen hard ? I knew she was referring to me.

      One day she texted that she wanted to be my girlfriend. I told her point blank that I could not be in a serious relationship with a working escort. Some guys can emotionally handle their girlfriend being boinked 10 times a day by strangers ? unfortunately I'm not one of those guys and I told her that up front before we went any further.

      She quite convincingly said she was quitting in a month and will be living with her family. I believed her. I allowed myself to fall for her ? hard. I'm usually stronger than this but with everything going on with my mother I was feeling particularly vulnerable at that time.

      RETURN TO TORONTO, OUR 2ND MEETING

      My mother fell ill again, so I returned to Toronto. This time to not only visit my mom but to explore my new found relationship. Leslie was living with me in my hotel room for close to 2 weeks while I was there. When I wasn't visiting my mother, the two of us were going on dates, cuddling, having sex and making plans for our future. She told me she wanted to live with me. I told her that right now isn't a good time, please give me a couple of months.

      She said she would no longer have sex with me until we live together (!!!) Right then I should have known that something was a little "off" and just said my good-byes to her ? but unfortunately I was emotionally hooked.

      I asked about what happened with her ex boyfriend, she told me he was terminally ill and that he told her to find a new boyfriend. Also that the boyfriend before him beat her up so severely that she spend a week in the hospital. I felt so much pity for her and wanted to give my all of my emotional support.

      Before leaving for the airport we had a huge emotional farewell, lots of tears ? I almost missed my flight. When I got home, the texting, video chats and phone calls became even more intense.

      RETURN TO TORONTO, OUR 3RD MEETING

      A couple of weeks later I received the call that my mother passed away. I was an emotional wreck at this point. Leslie invited me to stay at her apartment this time. After dealing with my mother's funeral arrangements and cleaning out her apartment, I spent the next few days with Leslie. She told me that she would be escorting for another month. I said "Okay? I thought you were going to live with your family?" "I changed my mind" she replied. "Just one more month." Hmmm

      THE LOST PHONE

      Leslie apparently lost her phone. She said in almost tears that she couldn't survive without a phone. I offered to give her an old phone I had until she could get a new one. She laughed at the idea ? only an iPhone would do. She apparently couldn't go on a phone plan because she didn't have her citizenship papers yet. Huh? To make her happy, I sign her up on my phone plan to give her an iPhone.

      Yeah, I know, what can I say, I was a blind idiot in love.

      THE VISIT OUT WEST

      I went home, we continued our text relationship as before. I invited her to stay with me for a couple of weeks, and she told me she would need to "work" while she was here to pay for her rent. I reluctantly agreed, although I didn't like it, I'm not really rich enough to be able to match the amount of money she is used to making and she did need to pay her rent at the end of the month, so I put her up in a hotel downtown.

      When she came here, we spend the first night together and made some plans for the 2nd night. One of her shemale escort friends was also here, and they met me at my business. I left early so that we could go have some fun. I dropped Leslie and her friend off at her hotel, as they apparently had some "clients". She would phone me when they were done.

      I went to the casino across the street for dinner and to wait for her call. 2 hours later I get a call that she just wants to go out with just her friend for a few drinks, and that she hopes I would understand.

      Okay, whatever. So I spend a few more hours playing the slots. Later driving down the main drag to go home ? I spot her and her friend on the sidewalk, with their arms around a couple of guys (wtf)

      I phoned her, she was very drunk (as she often is). What can I say, we had a BIG fight. I just went home.

      Next day she phoned me in tears, apologizing. "Please let me make it up to you, I'm so so sorry, it's all my fault, I never meant to hurt you ? blah blah blah."

      I gave in.

      THE TRUTH REVEALED, EYES WIDE OPEN

      Things started to get very rocky between us at this point, I'm starting to lose my trust in her. I felt that she wasn't sorry that she ditched me for someone else on her 2nd night here, but that she was only sorry that she got caught.

      I began wondering how much more she was lying to me. I noticed photos that were hidden from me on her Facebook account. I noticed Facebook conversations that seemed broken up as if parts of it were hidden from me.

      I got hold of her Facebook password.

      I snooped.

      The photos that were hidden were of her and the boyfriend that beat her up ? taken the evening before my last trip to Toronto, announcing on Facebook that he was her new boyfriend!!!

      I found that she was having free late night rendezvous with boys 10 years younger than her that she liked to trick into believing she was a gg. (sorry babe, but you aren't THAT passable?)

      I found a 2nd Facebook account that I was blocked from, where she gushes her love and affection for the terminally ill so called "ex" boyfriend that she used to live with in northern Ontario.

      He, no doubt, was being blocked from the other Facebook account where she was gushing her love for ME.

      It finally made me start thinking with the head on my shoulders instead of the one between my legs.

      She is a top notch con artist and a user. A low life.

      I cancelled her phone service. I asked for the phone back, I asked her to pay her $300 phone bill ? but of course being a very selfish & materialistic person ? she refused.

      Leslie told me that I couldn't afford her.

      She was right. And I'm glad. The high price for low lifes these days...

      Basically Leslie was using me to get free phone service, and if all went as planned, to get free accommodation by living with me.

      The terminally ill rich 2nd boyfriend from up north? She was stringing him along in hopes of getting a generous inheritance when he died, or if possible to get him to marry her so she would get it all.

      The boyfriend who beat her up? Sex. He's very young, very immature, mindless and broke. Just sex.

      EPILOGUE

      It's been over a month now since we broke up. Now that all the hurt and rage has subsided in me, I look back and realize how lucky I was to end it. If I didn't see her true colours I just may have been living with her now and ruined my life.

      I looked at her Facebook account last night for the first time in a month. She recently spent the night with the "ex" boyfriend who previously put her in the hospital and I'm sure he will put her back in the hospital again some day.

      She's now into drugs (probably was all along, but hiding it from me.) She went out with some older guy in a suit a few times and probably did her best to drain his bank account as quickly as possible.

      Leslie has been escorting for close to 3 years now but she is always broke.

      While all the other escorts invested in themselves by getting boobs etc., Leslie is flat chested.

      Where did all that money go? As soon as she gets it, she spends it. Taxi rides all over the city, clubbing to the wee hours, eating in expensive restaurants, drugs, gambling in casinos and bingo.

      Her escort money is gone within 24 hours of receiving it. Then she will ask one of her boyfriends for some financial help to buy food, while putting on an act of being embarrassed.

      ADVICE

      My advice to anyone considering entering a relationship with an escort? Make sure you really know who you are dealing with, ask questions, ask MORE questions, if you catch them lying, walk away before you get in too deep.

      Just look out for number one. Think with your brain, not your dick.

      Yes this is my first post under "Dreamweaver" but the above story is absolutely true, although some of the events happened in a slightly different order than what I've written. Want to know the name of the escort?

      Ask me nice in a PM, MAYBE I'll tell you



      The End.
      (? and a happy beginning for me!)
      Sounds like a typical tranny relationship (that escorts) You got off easy.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Reemule View Post
        This looks... cathartic..
        lol ... Ya, I got pain, I got tragedy, I got drama. I got it all.
        Just glad it's finally over.

        "There's a sucker born every minute"
        - P.T. Barnum

        Comment


        • #5
          As the saying goes - "Been there, done that"!

          I can feel your distress my friend as I've been there more than once myself, the only difference being, neither girl was TS and so I know how hard it is to accept that I had been stupid, been gullible, been duped, been had.

          After splitting with one girl for about 4-5 years I was even foolish enough to reconnect with her for a second twirl around the track only to realize too late that there was to be no happy ending that time either!

          In reality, while there were many very admirable things about that girl, I eventually came to realize that she seems to be helpless and will unfortunately never be able to overcome her ingrained self-injurious traits. Too bad!

          Comment


          • #6
            There is no dating a working escort.
            This should be the test of truth, if they really care for you they should quit escorting.
            Anything else is a cop out, especially if you don't live with them.

            I have not seriously dated any tgirls in Canada, however they would not be escorting if I did.
            My first GF in Thailand was a working girl but tended to live at home with her family as long as she got some cash from me.
            Not sure how faithful she was when I was not there, but she didn't want to work if she didn't have to so.....
            She also was not computer literate so there was no problem with all the boyfriends on facebook like most.
            Eventually I was coerced into a quickie Buddhist wedding ceremony, however I never viewed as much more than an engagement.
            As it turned out she was not willing to come to Canada, so I ended it.

            Right after that I met my new GF working as a bar girl in Bangkok.
            We never got serious until a year or so later, so there was some other guys in there.
            However soon before she had her SRS surgery a couple years ago we really got close.

            We had our ups and downs party due to some older boyfriends.
            However she has been doing web cam for money when i am gone.
            Now we are engaged and I told this has to stop, this is not acceptable for my GF to be doing Webcam.
            She tries to say my websites are the same thing, but I am not out here waving my shit around for everyone to see.
            I am not having private sexual moments with others.
            Hopefully it will all work out.

            ladyboy.reviews

            Comment


            • #7
              Yes I agree, it can't work especially with the girls who were working. I guess I was happy to be getting a bit more than usual and really should have known better but with the second time around gal, she was no longer working and was living full time with her then "bf" (he new about me) and her two kids. Later, when I got re-involved with her she had been living on her own for some time and never did escort after leaving her "bf".

              I now have to wonder how many guys besides me she was "using" at the same time! It was fun while it lasted, but costly.

              Comment


              • #8
                10 words


                Reality doesn't live up with the fantasy....And vice versa.






                (Btw, the girl in his story wasn't me... lol! just to make it clear hahaha)
                Last edited by Lani; 09-30-2012, 03:20 PM.


                " To the world you maybe just one person, but to one person you maybe the world ."

                "Never lie to someone who trusts you, and never trust someone who lies to you."

                "Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it."



                Comment


                • #9
                  Chalk it up to a lesson learned. Not much else you can do really. Condolences about your mom.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by tommygun View Post
                    Chalk it up to a lesson learned. Not much else you can do really. Condolences about your mom.
                    Thanks Tommygun ... I appreciate it. Yeah, that's the way I'm treating it now, lesson learned. Never again.

                    Originally posted by Lani View Post

                    Reality doesn't live up with the fantasy....And vice versa.

                    (Btw, the girl in his story wasn't me... lol! just to make it clear hahaha)
                    You are absolutely correct Lani ... it didn't live up to the fantasy. And no hon it wasn't you lol.

                    Originally posted by Christina View Post
                    Sounds like a typical tranny relationship (that escorts) You got off easy.
                    Christina: If that is really a typical tranny escort relationship, then all I can say is ... wow ...

                    Yes, I suppose I did get off easy. Cost me a fortune but yes it could have been much worse! If I didn't see what she was up to in her Facebook account I could have ended up living with this deceitful, conceited, selfish drunken bitch.



                    And thanks Toban & Crag for sharing your own personal experiences. I had a feeling that I wasn't alone here but most of us (including me) are too embarrassed to admit we fell for one of the oldest prostitution scams in the books.

                    If my story prevents it from happening to even one other person, it was worth my time to write this.

                    Cheers!
                    Last edited by Dreamweaver; 09-30-2012, 09:42 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      dreamweaver, sent you a pm.

                      Comment


                      • #12


                        this is going to be one bumpy ride.
                        CANADA's SWEETHEART
                        sigpic

                        - semi retired-
                        03.2009 - 09.2014 - "I had an awesome time."



                        Comment


                        • #13
                          wow

                          sorry to hear.But i have never really seen that work out dating an escort is tough. I do not plan on dating till after January where I will be a 100% retired and away from the scene.
                          Just a fly on the wall

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I'd say that in my case it was probably about 67-33 % scam

                            Originally posted by Dreamweaver View Post
                            . . . . . . . . . . . I had a feeling that I wasn't alone here but most of us (including me) are too embarrassed to admit we fell for one of the oldest prostitution scams in the books.

                            If my story prevents it from happening to even one other person, it was worth my time to write this.

                            Cheers!
                            OK, yes, the second time - it was a deliberate scam!

                            In my own case, I don't think that my main and first misadventure deliberately started off with the intention of it being a scam. I suppose maybe I was, or am, naive, but on both her and my own part I do believe the situation was innocently actuated. The time was shortly before Christmas and since I had previously enjoyed her company on several occasions I had called the agency specifically for her - on that evening we'd had a very enjoyable time and while waiting for her driver to pick her up she commented on the assortment of boxes of decorations laying around. She offered to come over and help me decorate the apartment. I accepted, she came over next day, the decorating was finished, she left and then over several weeks/months things just progressed from there. Was it innocent ?

                            The second time around though I knew that she had acted deliberately!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              What is most important here is the character of the girl.

                              Scammers exist in all professions!

                              I think that there is a lot more to this than just saying that to date an escort is fraught with dangers. Dating can be considered as an outing where each person enjoys the other's company but scamming is a malevolent act that is deliberately planned and executed!

                              It is agreed that if a guy can not accept that the girl is bound by her profession to keep company with other men, then naturally the relationship is doomed but neither is it fair to say that all escorts are evil scammers just waiting for the next opportunity to "take" some guy and then, that to date an escort is to be scammed.

                              If an escort is honest and respectful of others I can't see any reason why scamming should be any more expected of her than it would be expected of any other of our aquaintances.

                              Comment



                              Working...
                              X