Would you answer a late-night booty call?

Jasmine Gardner
23 Jun 2009

Legend has it that the "booty call" first made its way into our vocabulary in the early 1990s, when R&B artists started singing about calling their laydeez for rendezvous in the middle of the night.

It makes you wonder how it worked before mobile phones.

These days, blanket-texting everyone in your phone book is so easy that someone has invented an iPhone app to block it.

But perhaps we all love getting late-night requests for sex.

I went to ask drinkers in Hoxton Square whether they would answer a mating call.

Yes
Kristian, 22, visionary
It has happened, I indulged, it was pretty bleak — she was a drug addict and I later found out she was a man. I was upset, but I'd still do it again.

Yes
Ricky, 26, analyst
Almost always, I'd answer and say yes — but not on a school night, unless there has been a long drought.

Yes
Charlie, 21, student
A friend of mine was house-sitting. He called me up and said “Do you want to come over? I've got Jack Daniel's.” It doesn't happen that often, but it was good, so I'd do it again.

Yes
Connie, 21, sound recordist
In this day and age, why not? It's one of those things that you don't intend to happen, it just does.

No
Anna, 26, teacher
Frankly, it wouldn't impress me much. I'd probably just ignore it, but if I did answer I still wouldn't go there.

Yes
Adrian, 30, graphic designer
It's never happened, but I can't see a single reason why I wouldn't answer. I'm in a relationship, so I guess it would have to be from my girlfriend.

Yes
Lucy, 31, dancer and choreographer
Of course! I've made plenty of booty calls myself. If you've got a guy on the go, why not call him up?

Yes
Darren, 33, multimedia designer
I have answered, but it was too far away, so I couldn't make it, unfortunately. If it had been closer, I would have gone.

Yes
Rebecca, 31, dance artist
Drunk boyfriends have often called to say: “Come over, I want to have sex.” I think it's totally accepted as a way of getting sex.