When an appropriate partner is on the scene, the man will be ready. According to the University of Chicago survey Sex in America, published in 1994, married people are more likely to masturbate than people living alone. Those who have sex the most, masturbate the most. So, the short answer is, it is OK to masturbate. The longer answer takes other factors into consideration.
Some partners have different degrees of sexual drive.
When one partner wants sex more than the other, masturbation is an acceptable and understandable alternative. Some women are upset, even outraged, if they find their partners masturbating. Masterbation is probably universal for females as well as males. It generally represents an indivudual's introduction to sexual pleasure and self love. In this day of AIDS, increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, solo sex is a safe outlet for the healthy sexual impulses.