I know that AOL had IMing then, but I think it was pretty new (to me, at least!)
I second that ---there were IMs then, and I was on AOL from 95-98. I was new to it, and in a chatroom for something or other and some guy saw my username "willcerv" and IM'd me, with the question "who will you serve?" , interpreting my screenname to suit his own purposes...with a few more questions he was asking me "How are you dressed?" (at that point I knew what was going on) So I said "Raspberry Vinaigrette", to which he responded "Yum!". Then I had to tell him goodbye. I guess IM-ing was seen as a particularly cool new way to make a pass, or get instant intimacy by virtue of pushing yourself right onto someone's monitor.