I'm confused about how this works

When you connect to someone from Browse Listeners, they'll recieve a personal request, and they'll be able to accept it or deny it depending on their availability. You can also enter the general request queue by initiating a chat with Noni, and a listener can chose your request and come to you, rather than you chosing a listener and you coming to them

When you contact someone from Browse Listeners, what happens depends on the button's label.

If the button is labelled Chat Now, then it creates a personal request. The listener sees the request immediately, but the listener might have a queue of personal requests. There isn't any way for the listener to contact you to let you know how long you might have to wait in their queue. The listener should eventually reply, but you can't tell when.

If the button is labelled Leave Message, then it starts a chat immediately. You can send a message to the listener, but you cannot tell when the listener will reply. If the listener is offline (shown with a red spot), they might have left 7 Cups and they'll never reply. Or they might reply immediately. You can't tell.

There is also a general queue if you don't mind which listener you chat with. To place a request in the general queue, choose Chat – Connect Now from the menu at the top of most pages. It does not connect you now. It places a request in a worldwide queue. Typical waiting times in the queue are a few minutes, but sometimes people have to wait much longer than that.

When you are in a queue, it is best to wait attentively. If a listener contacts you and you don't reply for many minutes, the listener might give up and respond to another request.

If you want to chat to a listener but the system offers you a personality quiz, refuse the quiz.

@AreaMan