Best Laid Plans

I’m guilty of this too from time to time, but it seems to happen to me a lot lately:

Somebody–an old friend, an old flame*, recent acquaintance, hot friend of a friend of a friend I hardly know (yet)**, etc.– says they want to hang out.
And then I say something like, “Great! I’d like to too.”
Sometimes they go so far as to say, “we should hang out” or “we need to hang out” or even just “we’ll hang out.” Just like that, like it’s 100% for sure going to happen. (Afterall, we need to. This–apparently–is not up to either of us, nor is it a subject for debate.)
I say, “Great! Let me know when you’re free and we’ll make plans. Just give me a call.”
Sometimes I even suggest a time, say when I’m free and when I’m not, etc.

And then nothing happens.

The ball’s in their court now, right? I mean, they DID say they wanted to get together. I DID reciprocate that interest. If they want to close the deal on meeting at some point in the future, they need only to say so. Of course I could always re-ask/offer again or whatever, but sometimes it’d be weird.** Sometimes you just can’t.*