How long do I withhold tips? Dealer mistake costs me $1800. (long)

[RR]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Here's a story about how a dealer actually cost me $200:

I make a flush on a board of 2d3c5d4sTd. The pot is $100 I'm OTB and shove for $200. Guy across the table thinks for a while and finally says "call" but he moves his cards forward slightly (there was another player left to act). Within a second the dealer has his cards in the muck. The guy explains that he had a 6, he said call, blah, blah, blah. He is pissed and starts going off on the dealer. Not only did I tip him, but I showed my the other player my flush.

As a poker professional you should understand that things like this happen. If you can't stand dealer errors try playing online.

[/ QUOTE ]


This one confuses me.
If the player said call then isn't it possible to retrieve the cards and hold him to that call?
I guess if he insta-mucked them and scooped up the board cards, etc it would be too late to do anything and perhaps that's what happened

[/ QUOTE ]

If the dealer gets his hands on the cards they should be in the muck in under a second.