# How long do you wait? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 23, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107 "2003-08-23T05:33:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sm\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sm\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sm_e)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/1 "2003-08-23T05:33:29Z")
A member of the opposite sex gives you their phone number. How long do you wait before you call it? ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/2 "2003-08-23T05:46:15Z")
I think it would be important to know who gave who their #. How long should a man wait before calling. How long should a women wait before calling. ---
**Author:** ![Sm\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sm\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sm_e)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/3 "2003-08-23T05:58:07Z")
Good point. I just transfered schools, so I know nobody (I had gone to a local school.) I went to the local ‘corner,’ or what have you, and met a girl (“Big deal. You get in her pants?” “She is not that type of girl Booger.” Why? She got a penis?" Sorry…) Hung out with her, went to a different bar with her, then walked home with her (we live on the same street it turns out.) She then gave me her phone number. I have bad flashbacks of “Swingers” And with my usual crew of idiots miles away, I just do not know. ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Dracul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@Vlad\_Dracul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Dracul)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/4 "2003-08-23T06:00:30Z")
If we’ve been talking, the call time has already been established: “I’ll call you when I get home…”, “…when I know what my schedule is…”, or something like that. If she just walked up, handed me the paper, smiled, and walked away, I’d call as soon as it was convenient to do so. Might as well get it over with, after all. Advice to women: I consider it flattering if the woman calls promptly. I’m not into this “pretend not to be interested” business. ---
**Author:** ![superstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@superstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superstar)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/5 "2003-08-23T06:05:09Z")
Forget all the rules. If this person could turn out to be something special or better yet the person you are meant to spend the rest of your life with why are you waiting. Call them the very next day. Show them they are special and liked. Waiting the correct amount of days so you don’t seem this or that is pointless when finding someone to love. Call them now! But if in your heart you already know they are not going to be anything monumental in your life don’t even ask the question. Throw the number away and move on! Don’t waste your time or theirs. If you are just hoping for sex… well I don’t know, stop kidding yourself I guess! ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/6 "2003-08-23T07:22:33Z")
…and if you’re gonna throw the numbers away, i’ll take them. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/7 "2003-08-23T07:35:21Z")
When she hands you the slip of paper, take out your cell phone, and start dialing. As it rings, look at her and say: “I couldn’t wait.” Tris ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/8 "2003-08-23T08:00:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Triskadecamus \* > \*\*When she hands you the slip of paper, take out your cell phone, and start dialing. As it rings, look at her and say: “I couldn’t wait.” \*\* 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/9 "2003-08-23T10:48:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Triskadecamus \* > \*\*When she hands you the slip of paper, take out your cell phone, and start dialing. As it rings, look at her and say: “I couldn’t wait.” > Tris \*\* Now that there is a slick move. heh heh. As for the OP. There are no rules, no time limits, no waiting periods. Call her whenever you want to talk with her (well,. regular business hours until you know her schedule). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-you-wait/197107/10 "2003-08-23T12:03:15Z")
Sooner rather than later, if you’re really interested. Men _always_ say “I’ll call you” – it’s code for “hell will freeze over first, but I don’t know what else to say.” So if you said you’d call, she’s probably assuming you won’t – so call before she forgets who you are.