He wants to meet but won't lock down plans: what to do

When someone says they want to meet but doesn't propose a specific day or time, they're not being forgetful or shy. They're hedging. He might like the idea of you, but he's not willing to prioritize you over whatever else is on his calendar or his roster. He's also testing how much patience you have. The longer you accept this, the more normal it becomes, and the less incentive he has to change.

Pay attention to the gap between what he says and what he does. Talk is free. Plans cost something: a specific night, a location, his actual time. If he won't spend that, he's showing you exactly how much he values meeting you.

Your reply needs to do one thing: make planning a requirement, not an option. Don't ask what works for him or suggest times for him to choose from. Instead, name a specific day and place, and ask him to confirm. This isn't aggressive. It's the bare minimum.

The second move is to stay quiet after that. Don't follow up with alternatives if he doesn't confirm. Don't add extra enthusiasm or try to convince him you're worth the effort. His response to your specific proposal tells you everything you need to know. If he says yes and locks it in, great. If he goes vague again or doesn't respond, you have your answer.

Send your specific proposal and give him about two days to confirm. Not two days to think about it or find the perfect time, but two days to say yes. In that window, do not send another message about meeting up. Let him sit with it.

If he doesn't confirm a meetup by then, stop texting him about logistics. If he comes back later with more vague interest, you already know how this goes. You're not being harsh. You're being efficient. His inability to lock down a plan in 48 hours is information. Use it.