Vault: The Guys Try to Save Wendy From Herself

Summary

The Bert Show — "Vault: The Guys Try to Save Wendy From Herself"

Date: March 24, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode delves into the complexities of modern dating etiquette, as the cast and callers try to help Wendy navigate the aftermath of texting a new romantic interest. The hosts debate whether classic dating "games" like delayed replies work in today's world, explore gender differences in communication expectations, and hear diverse perspectives from listeners on both sides of the texting divide.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Wendy's Dilemma: The Delayed Text

• [01:11] Wendy: explains her situation: she met a guy at a bar, gave him her number, and received a friendly text from him at 4am—knowing that’s when she wakes up for work.
• [01:41] Wendy: reveals she consulted Bert and Jeff for advice; they told her to wait to respond until after work (7pm), instead of replying immediately.
  • "The advice Bert and Jeff gave me was to wait, not to text back immediately... Just to hold up. Not to be too eager." — Wendy [02:46]
• Wendy followed the advice and sent a neutral reply that night, but did not receive a response.

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2. Was the Wait Too Long?

• The guys believed waiting avoids appearing "desperate," but Wendy feels the long delay backfired, given that texting is expected to be more immediate.
  • "I have not gotten a text back and I think it's because of the advice Bert and Jeff gave me." — Wendy [02:58]
• Host 2 questions if she was meant to be a "booty call," but Wendy argues the timing was simply tied to their work schedules [03:34].
• "If he's not texting you back, then you don't need him." — Host 4 [03:56]

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3. Texting Culture Clash: Immediate vs. Measured Replies

• The cast debates if texting demands instant feedback:
  • [06:08] Wendy: "Texting is immediate because usually people have their phones in front of them... So I think when you wait, people know, hmm, you've just got this text message. Why are you waiting?"
  • Host 2 expresses discomfort with being expected to always be available: "I don't like being available 24/7." [06:22]
• Some, like Joy (caller), think waiting 15 hours was excessive and may have killed the momentum:
  • "You guys told her to wait 15 hours to respond... 7pm was pushing it. That's crazy." — Joy [06:36]

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4. Is "Playing It Cool" Outdated or Essential?

• Host 1 tries to explain the advice: "What we're trying to get Wendy in the position of is being pursued rather than being the pursuer." [07:16]
• Caller Fred weighs in: waiting might not be a problem, but guys in similar positions meet a lot of women and could be playing "the quantity game." [07:34]
• Caller Nicole offers: the guy's text was probably just a friendly gesture, not a booty call [08:28].

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5. The "Games" of Modern Dating—Losing or Winning?

• Several callers and hosts highlight frustrations with game-playing:
  • "Why do we gotta play games?" — Wendy [10:42]
  • Host 4 wonders if the guy is now mirroring Wendy's delay, playing the same waiting game. [10:33]
• Host 2 suggests Wendy should be dating more than one person to avoid overinvestment in any one prospect: "You need to have several guys in your repertoire..." [10:44]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "That's the fun part of dating, is getting pursued so bad at it." — Host 1 [07:29]
• Caller Kevin: "If you got a cell phone and you get a text, you're going to read it right away... unfortunately, you may have waited too long." [09:21]
• Caller Andrew: "Whenever a girl plays a waiting game... I think she's just playing games with me, more or less, because that's the...not really interested." [11:02]
• Host 4 humorously defends their advice from critics: "Those are guys who want to give you their number and get a response back immediately..." [05:48]
• The cast pokes fun at themselves for overthinking the situation and the endless cycle of advice and second-guessing.

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Standout Caller Perspectives

• Women Callers: Generally encourage more immediacy in reply; say the delay could be interpreted as disinterest (Joy, Nicole).
• Male Callers: Mixed—some agree with the hosts (don’t seem too eager), others stress that excessive waiting feels like games or a lack of interest (Kevin, Andrew).
• Host Consensus: Divided, but slightly favors the idea that modern texting expectations are immediate—a long delay stands out.

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Important Timestamps

• [01:38-03:34]: Wendy narrates the whole scenario and her reasons for following the advice.
• [03:35-06:10]: Debate on whether the guy was just buzzed, if delayed texting harms prospects, and gender biases in interpreting text timing.
• [06:33-07:33]: Callers (Joy, Fred) chime in with their views on the appropriateness of the 15-hour delay.
• [08:28-09:18]: Further caller input (Nicole, Kevin), focusing on intent and expectations in communication.
• [10:44-11:43]: The concept of dating multiple people, and more guest opinions on game-playing.

---

Summary

This episode of The Bert Show puts a spotlight on the labyrinth of dating “rules” in a world where expectations around texting and communication are evolving. Wendy’s struggle to decode the correct etiquette exposes generational and gendered differences in how daters interpret silence, enthusiasm, and intent. Listeners, both men and women, call in to share if they prefer promptness or “playing it cool.” There’s no single right answer, but the consensus leans toward authenticity and matching the other person's energy, rather than over-strategizing. As Host 4 says, “He doesn’t know what he’s missing.” [05:35]

If you’re navigating the dating scene and wondering when to text after meeting someone, this episode is packed with real talk, practical perspectives, and plenty of laughs — reminding us that sometimes, in love and texting, it’s okay to just be yourself.

Transcript

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[Wendy]

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[Host 1]

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[Wendy]

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[Host 2]

The guys have called you desperate. Do you consider yourself desperate?

[Wendy]

No, I don't think so. Maybe just no. No maybe just maybe like 5%. No. So I've really relied on the guys of the show to kind of help me at least last week anyways because I met a guy out one night last week and gave him my phone number and he texted me and Burt and Jeff gave me some texting advice and that texting advice was to wait until 7 o'. Clock. First it was 4, then it was 7 o' clock because he text really early in the morning.

[Host 2]

So you met him at night?

[Wendy]

I met him at night.

[Host 2]

And then his text to you was at four in the morning.

[Wendy]

Right, it was four in the morning because that's when I wake up and that's when he knew I woke up for work.

[Host 1]

Okay, so now was he still out partying at 4 in the morning, do you think?

[Wendy]

Well, he worked at the bar.

[Host 1]

So he was closing up the bar,

[Wendy]

closing up the bar. So he sent me a text and was like, hey, thanks for coming out. It was good to see you.

[Host 3]

Blah, blah, blah, blah.

[Wendy]

And the. Well, the advice Burton Jeff gave me was to wait, not to text back immediately.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Wendy]

Just to hold up.

[Host 1]

Not to be too eager.

[Wendy]

Not to be too eager.

[Host 2]

The idea was to wait until after you got off work that night. So what do you like, 7pm?

[Wendy]

7pm well, so did you text him at 7? I did.

[Host 1]

What'd you say?

[Wendy]

And I was just like, oh, God, what did I say? I was just like, why'd you guys like, it was good to see you, blah, blah, blah, blah. Nothing like major, just like, cool, good to see you. Like that was it. Pretty much just something very simple. But I have not gotten a text back and I think it's because of the advice Bert and Jeff gave me. And let me make a point on why. I think that he knew I was going to be up around the time he text me. And his text could have used an instant reply. And I think I waited too long so I didn't get one back.

[Host 2]

Now, forgive me, because I'm not sure, but my first thought was that you were his booty call. But he knows you're going to work, so that makes sense. But it just seems like, I don't know, I mean, because everybody, the unanimous advice was don't seem too eager. And so it seems like he. I don't know, he wasn't interested in anything but something.

[Wendy]

I don't know.

[Host 4]

My inclination is that if he's not texting you back, then you don't need him.

[Host 1]

Yeah, I. Well, yeah, I tend to agree with that too. And I have a feeling that he could have been pretty buzzed when he sent the one at 4 if he closed up the bar because bars close at 2. Right.

[Host 4]

Well, he works at the bar, so he probably wasn't drinking because he wanted to be a responsible employee.

[Wendy]

Right.

[Host 2]

Yeah. Because people work at bars never drank or do anything.

[Host 1]

Yeah, I mean. I mean, I worked at a bar and once you're done, everybody sits around and has a couple or whatever while you're wrapping everything up while you're folding silver.

[Wendy]

Right. But it was during the week, so I mean, it wasn't like hammered drunk. I mean, and Sean was with me that night, so I. I disagree about the whole it being a booty call and all that kind of stuff because he just doesn't seem like the type that would like that.

[Host 4]

Well, they never do.

[Wendy]

But Well, I mean, it wasn't like

[Host 1]

he knows you're going to.

[Host 2]

Works at a bar.

[Host 1]

He knew you were going to work. So I don't think it was necessarily a booty call, but I think it was sent in a.

[Host 2]

You know, but you see what I'm saying about that? You see what I'm saying about that. That it was something he needed at the moment, but obviously he was disinterested as. As the day progressed. And I don't think that's some. I don't. I don't think that's something that you did wrong. I just.

[Host 1]

I don't think it is either.

[Host 2]

I think it's. He wasn't interested in anything.

[Wendy]

Oh, bummer.

[Host 1]

Well, the other factor we're not considering is did he hear about our conversation on the radio?

[Wendy]

Oh, I don't know, because we did

[Host 4]

talk about it or we talked about it at this time.

[Host 2]

We do have people that listen to us, don't we?

[Host 1]

Yeah. So I'm wondering if that's a factor too. Like if he heard through the grapevine or through some of his friends, like, hey, is that you that she's talking about on the air? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And maybe he's going, you know, I'm not quite sure I want every bit of this out there that could be true.

[Host 4]

He doesn't know what he's missing. But I did get.

[Wendy]

I did get guys emailing me saying that your advice is bad.

[Host 4]

Hey, what the.

[Host 2]

Wrong guys email saying that your guys email.

[Host 4]

Because those are guys who want to give you their number and get a response back immediately because you think that

[Host 1]

their interest in giving her advice wasn't altruistic.

[Host 4]

There can't be. We can't live in a world that when you send a text, you expect an immediate. Texting is not an immediate reply medium.

[Wendy]

I disagree. I think it works with the phone call that you can wait. But texting is immediate because usually people have their phones in front of them. People know you get the text right away. So I think when you wait, people know, hmm, you've just got this text message. Why are you waiting?

[Host 2]

I just don't like being available 24 7.

[Host 4]

Right.

[Host 2]

I don't like the culture where you expect me to. I don't know, it just kind of bothers me that, you know, sometimes I may not be available to you.

[Host 4]

Hey, let me. I want to talk to Joy. Hey, Joy.

[Host 3]

Hey. I think I agree with Wendy. You guys told her to wait 15 hours to respond. I can see 7am but 7pm was pushing it. That's crazy.

[Host 4]

7, 8am she's in the middle of work, but I'm.

[Host 3]

Well, she takes a break. She doesn't work 15 hours straight. That was just a bit. A bit extended. Like, you guys should have told her to text him later in the morning, not the night. That's just really. I don't know. I think that's why he didn't call back either.

[Host 2]

But isn't this coming from a woman's perspective, though? Wasn't that our argument to begin with

[Host 3]

on how even if a guy had done that to me, I wouldn't text him back either? Like, it took you almost a whole day to respond. Never mind. I do the same thing. So I think that's why he didn't call her back.

[Host 1]

I think what we're trying to get Wendy in the position of is being pursued rather than being the pursuer.

[Host 4]

Right?

[Host 1]

Hey, does that make sense? So, I mean, so he's not pursuing you. So. So let it go and let somebody else pursue you.

[Host 4]

Hey, Fred, help me out.

[Host 1]

That's the fun part of dating, is getting pursued so bad at it.

[Host 4]

What's going on?

[Caller]

I was just saying, you know, I don't think she waited too long. I mean, you know, from a guy's perspective, you know, you don't want her to seem too desperate, like you and Bert were saying. But in a way, she might have. Just for simple fact, he does work at a bar. He meets a lot of women. So if he don't get a text back, obviously it's all right. There's no other people.

[Host 4]

He might be playing the quantity game where he just throws it out there to as many people as he can.

[Host 1]

Was the text generic enough that it could have gone to more than you?

[Wendy]

No.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Host 2]

Okay, that's good.

[Caller]

I agree. I believe. But then again, I mean, he is a bartender. I mean, you got to take that into effect. He meets a lot of girls that think he's hot because they make drinks and they get tipsy and, hey, here's my number. Call me. And he's just like, all right, whatever.

[Host 1]

You have to consider that factor, too. Do you want to date a guy that's got, you know, that many women around all the time?

[Host 4]

He's got access to females. Hey, Nicole, welcome to the show.

[Host 3]

Hey. I think that he just wanted to ask her out, like, set the stone for asking her out on a date. Four in the morning, he knows she goes to work. It's not a booty call. He just liked her and probably wanted to say, hey, I'M thinking of you. Good morning.

[Host 4]

But isn't it presumptuous from the Isn't it presumptuous from the guy's point of view to think that if you email her at 4 in the morning while she's getting ready for work and everybody knows how harried mornings are anyways, even if you get up at 8am or 7am there's no time more hectic than morning when you're getting ready to go to work. Isn't it presumptuous to assume that he could write her and that she will write him back?

[Host 3]

Unfortunately, yes, I think I agree. But maybe 7 o' clock like the previous caller said, 15 hours, a little expensive. If he took the time, he probably really did genuinely like her and didn't expect one right away, but did expect one before 15 hours later.

[Host 4]

Here's a guy on Wendy's side. Hey, Kevin.

[Caller]

Hey, how are you? Good. Hey, really enjoy the show. Wendy. I got a side with the guy just because he waited so long. Everybody knows that. I mean, you told the guy that you were getting up at four in the morning and everybody knows that if you got a cell phone and you get a text, you're going to read it right away. And unfortunately, you may have waited too long just because.

[Host 1]

What do you think she should have

[Caller]

done that you got that text when you got it?

[Host 1]

What do you think she should have done?

[Caller]

I mean, what's wrong with just texting somebody back and saying, I'm busy, or thanks for the text, I'll talk to you later. I mean, any kind of response would have been better than none.

[Wendy]

That's coming from a guy perspective now.

[Host 4]

You know what?

[Host 1]

There's been other guys that have the other perspective. You're just listening to his because that's what you want to hear.

[Host 4]

Hey, Nick. Welcome to the show.

[Caller]

Hey, how's it going, guys?

[Host 4]

What's up?

[Host 3]

I think y' all are.

[Caller]

Y' all are being a little too quick to judge.

[Host 3]

I mean, he, I mean, he did

[Caller]

respond when he knew she'd be up, so obviously he's interested. As far as her not responding, it's not so much of a big deal. But maybe he's not trying to seem

[Host 3]

so eager at the same time.

[Caller]

You know what I mean?

[Host 4]

That's the thing is what if he's playing the same game back? What if he was listening to the show and didn't realize we were talking to you and then he heard our advice? He's like, that's good advice. I'm gonna do that. With the next girl, text me back,

[Wendy]

why do we gotta play games?

[Host 4]

And he's icing you.

[Host 2]

Well, that's why you need to. You need to have several guys in your repertoire. Because I think that you need to distract yourself when you're dating. I do believe that you have to have more than one going on. So you distract yourself from the other. So you play cool with everybody. You know what I mean?

[Host 4]

I think Wendy's dream man might be on line five.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Host 4]

Hey, Andrew.

[Caller]

Basically, with my perspective on this is if I send a girl a text message in the morning, I'm interested. And I'm thinking, well, maybe I'll ask her out on her lunch break or something like that. Another point is that whenever a girl plays a waiting game, whenever I send her a text message or something like that, I think that she's just playing games with me, more or less, because that's the. Not really interested. She's just playing, trying to play around, play games.

[Host 4]

All right, thanks for the call.

[Caller]

All right.

[Host 4]

There you go, Wendy. That one's just for you. The Birch Show. Tyler redick here from 2311 Racing. Another checkered flag for the books. Time to celebrate with Chumba. Jump [e-mail] let's shamba.

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