We’ve been listening to some of the messages left by the thousands of guys who use gay phone chat lines found at the back of magazines. This is what we heard on one gay chatline …
There’s a 24-year-old skinhead who’s home alone (Who isn’t these days!). Then there’s Mark, 34, good-looking with blue eyes, who’s just come home after a night out.
Or what about Jake? He’s a good-looking lad with dark hair, brown eyes, strong thighs, arms and shoulders, who absolutely loves lads in trainers and sportswear. But maybe this is the one for you. He’s 29, blond, good-looking and he’s up for it!
These may sound like film scenarios. But no. This is real life. All of the above are voice messages typical of the type left on several of a whole bunch of phone lines that you’ve probably noticed at the back of many magazines. You can’t listen to what guys are talking about in private 1-2-1 sessions but it doesn’t take much imagination to guess what they’re doing in private.
“EVERY EVENING THERE ARE HOT GUYS GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER”
If you’ve never used the phone for phone chat fun let me tell you it can be easier than trying to contact the right person on a customer helpline. Let me take you through the process.
Calling gay chatlines – what’s the score?
Call the number. When you get through, you’ll be given the opportunity to talk to guys from your area. Most services cover the whole of the UK. If you want the excitement of waiting for someone to call you back, go to Mail Boxes and listen to the messages that guys have left. You can skip quickly from one to another until you hear one that floats your boat.
Be Open-Minded
Then you can reply to it and leave your phone number. Since you’re supposed to be in lockdown, you’ll hopefully want to choose “Talk to Callers.” (No sneaking out for a quickie!) You’ll get ten seconds to describe yourself and what you’re into, then you can listen to messages from guys who are on the gay chatline now. “Hi. Ben, south coast, looking for hot chat. Unshockable. Get back to me.” On to the next one. “Geezer wants to chat about life in institutions.” You can either leave a message or request a 1-2-1 chat right now in which case you might find yourself suddenly talking live to the guy you liked the sound of. While I was skipping from message to message, “Tracey, gorgeous TV, likes strong, older men” tried to contact me. Well, unfortunately I had to finish this article.
Gay Phone Chat Lines still have an appeal
What’s the appeal of old-fashioned voice contact? We spoke to one phone line owner, and he thinks he has the answer. “You can tell so much from a person’s voice,” he says. “Text and e-mail are open to misunderstanding. There’s no emotion, no character. There’s so much more communication when you talk to someone. Your judgment is based on real human interaction.” (Gay chat may do the job there and then!).
Callers get what they want, no waiting!
How many of these advertisers get what they want? There was only one way to find out. I called half a dozen guys and asked them to ring me if they’d like to talk about their experiences.
A couple of people phoned back. I had a good chat with Garrett, 27, from Welwyn Garden City, Herts. He’s used gay chatlines for a long time. “It’s very specific what I like,” he told me. “There’s not much chance of meeting someone else who’s into the same thing unless I advertise.” What’s the response been like? “This last time, it’s been fantastic. I got a call from a guy who lives nowhere near me, down in Bournemouth.
“He told me to go on to his Facebook page. He’s older than me but so fit I couldn’t believe it.” Did they do it over the phone? “Well, we’re on the phone to each other all the time.”
It all goes to show what might happen just by picking up the phone and calling those gay chat lines.
