I once got a massage at this spa that was, while itself a totally reputable and completely legit place, in a kind of borderline seedy part of town. When I was ready to leave, I couldn't catch a cab for anything. Finally, after a half hour of trying to call a cab company, the massage therapist, who was done for the day and on her way out anyway, offered to give me a ride home. It was really nice and considerate of her, but, truth be told, it was kind of awkward. I mean, here was this woman who, a half hour before, had been working kinks out of my back, and now I was riding shotgun in her SUV. It was then that I thought, "You know? I don't like seeing massage therapists outside of their office."
But some people disagree with me. In Minnesota, a group of massage therapists (and the ACLU of Minnesota) is suing the state over a rule that prohibits a massage therapist from dating former clients for two years. They also want to eliminate a statute that prohibits all social contact between therapists and their current clients.
Apparently, the law applies to a host of professionals, from yoga instructors to people selling 10-minute backrubs at the mall. Other states have laws in the same vein, but Minnesota's is one of the strictest.
It does seem awfully harsh to me. I mean, I may not want to date my masseuse, but it can be nice to catch a ride home from her if I'm stranded.
Zach Patton -- Executive Editor. Zach has written about a range of topics, including social policy issues and urban planning and design. Originally from Tennessee, he joined GOVERNING as a staff writer in 2004. He received the 2011 Jesse H. Neal Award for Outstanding Journalism
E-mail: zpatton@governing.com 
Written and compiled by staff writers and editors, GOVERNING View is an on-the-ground, and sometimes behind-the-scenes, look at the topics we're covering in print and online. From notes on what's up in statehouses, county courthouses and city halls, to encounters with people, places and things, GOVERNING View is a window into the side of state and local government you don't always see.
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