In the olden days, telephones called from one place to another, not from one person to another. Local calls were free, but anything outside of your direct dialing area was a long-distance call and long-distance calls were not cheap; the greater the distance, the more expensive the call.
55 years ago today, Judy’s 16th birthday present from her mother was a 3-minute person to person telephone call to me on Okinawa. Corresponding only by handwritten letters, this was our first chance for a conversation in a year. The call had to be person-to-person, because the best she could do is call the Company Commander’s phone, they in turn dispatching a runner to find me, to escort me back to the waiting telephone call. It was an expensive call, but the 3-minute clock didn’t start until the correct person, me, was reached. This was no small matter. That 3-minute call cost 37 dollars, in 1964 money!
I picked up the phone, said hello, and listened to Judy try to talk through tears for 3 minutes, then the operator came back on the line, told us our time was up, and disconnected the call. Happy Birthday Judy. You can talk to me all you want today, and every other day, and rarely have to cry while doing it.
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