"Platonic" Friends? Listen well, young women!

Teenage girls and young women, listen well: 80% of your male friends (except the gay ones; if you can't tell, look at their shoes) want to be more than friends. As you age, the percentage will decrease, with the break-even point maybe somewhere around 40 years old or so, but those of you there likely know this. It's the younger women that haven't figured it out yet, and protest the most vociferously at the notion that the males, given the opportunity, would like to be more than friends.

Now make no mistake that there are 20% that are truly your friends, and true friends at that, likely truer and more sincere than most of your female friends. But the vast majority want to be more than friends. Sometimes they are hanging out, just trying to figure out where their "window of opportunity" is. Sometimes they are very shy and unable to find the courage to proclaim their feelings for you. Sometimes the relationship has gone past the friendship point of no return, as that early chance for romance, before the relationship was defined, is in the rearview mirror. Sometimes they currently have a girlfriend/wife, and have the scruples to honor that commitment and are relegated to the fantasy that cannot be. Sometimes they know you have a boyfriend and are just waiting it out. Sometimes it's just hormones. Sometimes they start as friends without wanting to be more but find themselves developing feelings for you. Sometimes... well, I hope you get the idea. Yes, I know my assertions are pretentious, but I am not "projecting," and I'm right (for a change) about this!

As for the reverse, where women want to be more than friends, I suspect it is a far smaller percentage, but frankly I have no idea. Maybe some of you can leave comments to help with that part. In any case, gentlemen, reveal your hearts, and ladies, listen to words unspoken.