I'll have to check this - might be a coding error. I might have messed it up. The intention was that the text message isn't recieved until after you've already left - so that it's too late to go back. You're right - if it's recieved while you're still there, it's a logical fallacy, but it wasn't meant to be. (It's also the reason it's not a forced message. Some messages the game won't continue until you address them, that is one of the ones that just shows up and you can check it or not.). It's quite possible I added that bit of code during one of my "26 hrs without sleep" marathons and put it in the wrong spot.
Edit: to be specific, the timeline goes like this. Argument w/her (or not. it only happens if you met her the first time), you continue conversation, she goes to the bar. She gets an idea and heads to the bathroom, erin wants to leave, you get up and head out, you're on the road and driving when you recieve the message (So at the drop-off at the house is the first time you should be able to get it. I double checked and I did put it earlier than I meant to. Oops. I'll have to fix that. It's not worth a patch I don't think, but still.)
Regarding the phone stuff - I honestly went back and forth with it. I considered the automatic popup, the reason I didn't do it that way was because - in ch2 there's 1, in ch3 there's 2, and later on they'll be more frequent - right now most messages except the ones mentioned are mandatory, the ones i just listed are optional (they show up, but you're not forced to address them). That is going to happen more and more often - my thought process was, if I don't do it the way I did, people would get used to just waiting for the popup, and not check any of the optional ones later on.
I could be wrong here, and maybe the other way is better, but I did consider it and did it the way it is for that reason.
Edit: Also why would you be that guy and mention those words. Seriously don't say those letters in here. It's never happening, so just put that out of your mind. thanks.