HB7 and I had a pleasant conversation. I asked for an email address. She could just have given me her card, which had a work email address on it (this is for a personal business, not something corporate), but she hand-wrote a personal address on the back. She repeated her name to me afterward. And I realized subsequently she had written an asterisk by her cell number--no way to read that, it seems to me, but as an encouragement to call.

The smart thing probably would have been to call, or, better, text; but, instead, I dropped her a friendly, undemanding email message, picking up on some things we'd talked about, later that evening. Over the course of the next five days: nothing.

Deciding to practice some text game, I thought I'd try to engage her with a silly text message. I decided to see whether what I intended as a witty text message sent to the number she’d asterisked would amuse her and get her to engage.

So I wrote: “Good afternoon, HB7: it’s the William Morris literary agency. We’ve been looking for an expert reader for your novels. We believe we’vefound the right one. Shall we put you in touch?” The plan, of course, was for her to say "yes" and then for the two of us to begin an exchange.

Within five minutes, she’d written back: “Not at this time, thank you.”

Obviously, it’s possible she didn’t know this was from me, but I concluded she might well have, but since we’d discussed her novels--she's a budding author--and I’d mentioned them in my note on Sunday, I suspected she'd made the connection, though one of my women friends is convinced she didn't know the text was from me.

So, I guess, three questions: (1) Any idea what happened between the initial interaction, when she seemed clearly interested in engaging with me and evidently wanted me to call her later, and later in the week? (2) What are the odds she concluded the text was from the guy she'd talked with earlier in the week? (3) Is one more call, text, or email reasonable here, or would y'all just burn her #?

Thanks for any insights you might be inclined to offer on a lazy Saturday.

(1) Any idea what happened between the initial interaction, when she seemed clearly interested in engaging with me and evidently wanted me to call her later, and later in the week?


Logistics, cancer , ex-boyfriend came back, she didn't like the cut of your jibe in retrospect? No use worrying about this, but its still the #1 question I see new guys post as they want to know the unknowable rather then focus on the known. The answer is that it happens to everyone and you can raise your yield with better game but it will never be anywhere close to 100%

(2) What are the odds she concluded the text was from the guy she'd talked with earlier in the week?

97.3% I think your girls friend gave you typical bad girl advice that is best left ignored unless they are a verified trusted source of helping your game, an that's a small minority of woman.

(3) Is one more call, text, or email reasonable here, or would y'all just burn her #?

freeze out , re-engage with some random ping text to gauge interest.

"I just saw your doppleganger OMG where you at xxx today"
"Pool party at Lisa's house, bathing suit optional " - fake mass text
"whats new?"


no calls or emails

who cares what she thinks or whats going on,

call her so you can hear her voice and can understand the context of what she is saying, if she doesn't answer, text her after a couple days, right when you get her text and know her phone is in her hand, call her, get to the damn point of what you want (a date or to talk or w/e)

that is all, she either wants the same or not, you already made an impression on her, either positive or negative is irrelivant, just keep at it and stop worrying so much

also, go meet more women, you are not meeting enough women, don't give up on this girl so easy, but don't put a stop to meeting women, you are not meeting enough women or you wouldn't care at all about this, she is not your girlfriend, and she doesn't own you, you are not doing her a favour by not meeting other women

also, don't try to be witty, just let it happen, if you are witty, let the witty shit flow from your mouth, but don't sit there thinking and planning away plotting the perfect things to say, because even if they work out well, you will not be able to maintain congruence with those things and will over exert yourself, don't try so hard