[candycane]

I like to think start-ups offer some unique experiences to their employees. Work that makes you grow as a person. The sort of thing your dad smiles at and points out all that extra hair on your chest.

There's a certain high-level manager at a Valley startup. His team just launched. Everyone's high. Super-buzzed. Nice party. I have a little printed crib-sheet. John. 43. B-school. Wife left. Couldn't handle being a married single mom. Has visiting rights to his daughters, but doesn't have time to exercise them.

It's my job to go home with him. Make it all worth it. Usually these guys are into wife-play. As in, I play the role of their ex. Give them a taste of a still-sizzling marriage for a night. "New honeymoon vibes" is what my boss calls it.

Basically a tailored prostitute for guys who royally fucked up their personal life. Because that's how the modern startup views itself: a family surrogate, and I'm just another extension.

[djur]

I can see how they'd be able to get away with that, although frankly I'd be wondering who these women nobody seems to know are doing at the party. But I'm pretty sure at this point it's just a culture difference between where I live and Silicon Valley.

[pavel_lishin]

I work in a moderately small office, and at least once a week we get semi-random visitors from other offices. At actual parties, people bring their significant others and sometimes their friends - I wouldn't really be surprised to see a new person at a party. In fact, I'd be surprised if only familiar faces were there.

[johndolan]

Even in the Valley, an attractive woman rarely is rarely thought of as out of place. People would be too busy hitting on her or admiring from a far to question where she came from in my experience.

[marincounty]

Don't leave out a lot of these guy's couldn't land the chick they think deserve, even after they get that first big check. Don't down vote because it rings too true. Down boys because I'm off base?

[Kamic]

burn!: modern startup views itself: a family surrogate -