True Love - $500

Tristan's friend has a new job. Providing True Love experiences to people who pay for it.

After spending a couple of hours in my real life, we hopped on the train to Union Square. We shared my favorite meal (sushi) and trotted around the city. We saw Monster, then talked, over latte and cocoa, about film, serial killers, real estate, friendship, exes, and, of course, love.

I'm not sure if the connection would have been as strong if we hadn't known each other long ago. Kathe's energy was totally focused on me, but not in an overbearing way like a stalker or a fake way like a call girl. Her love may have been contrived, but it was genuine, a paradox I still find hard to explain to people who didn't experience what I did. She considers herself "a cross between a prostitute and the Dalai Lama," and she indeed delivers a combination of spiritual companionship and sensual enlightenment.

It's not often (or ever) that someone asks you to be specific about how you want and need to be loved, as Kathe did in her questionnaire before our day. It forced me to articulate some things that can't always be put into words. I need unconditional love, love no matter what my mood is, love when I am on and when I am off. I need to feel that you who love me are firmly and completely on my team. I don't need a devil's advocate, I need a cheerleader and a friend. I need you to be present. I need you to be honest. I need you to be transparent and share your feelings with me. I need to be doted on and taken care of as much as I need to be left alone. I don't need to be pressured. I need you to have incredibly high expectations and no expectations at all. I need connection. I need to be seen and understood for who I am.

Here's the idea: For one day, Kathe will be in love with you.You can experience it via e-mail, by phone, or live. She's done close to 50, and presently, she does them mostly as in-person days. "Everyone is born with certain talents and I realized at a very young age that one of mine was the ability to connect with people, even people I have never met, from a still place inside of myself, sometimes over great distances," says Kathe.

This work is classified as performance art.