running a script after a certain delay

Hi all,

is there any implementation/idea/suggestion available already to run a
script after a certain time has passed?

Example:
Mail from xxx(_at_)yyy(_dot_)zzz arrives and gets delivered, the usual scripts 
are
running and put it into a special folder.
A 2nd script starts 1h later, looks for a mail in this special folder
and does something (redirect again, autoreply ...) if there is still a
mail.

Is this possible and when how or are there any intentions to implement
something like this?

Regards,
Thoralf Will