Again?
Copyright© 2016 by Old Man with a Pen
Chapter 4
"Is it local?" Maman asked.
"I'll reverse the charges," Wendy suggested. "It's Finland."
The telephone system hadn't evolved to undersea cable. The Telegraph
had but not the phones.
So ... a call from France went first to Belgium; from Belgium to Germany; Germany across the neck of Poland, through Danzig, East Prussia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, then the coast of Russia, the Karolian peninsula, to Finland, to Uusikaupunki and Valmaat Industries.
If it was that simple.
Each country routed the call through the main exchange; for example, Tallin, Latvia to Moscow, Russia.
Every exchange had to be held until a translator could be found and that necessitated passing the State Security ... of each and every country ... and many of the cities.
"Valmaat Industries."
"There is a collect call from Wendy Valmaat to Dal Valmaat. Will you accept the charges?"
"Mr. Valmaat is not in the office."
Click... click, click, click, click through every switchboard from Uusikaupunki to Hazebrouck. The disconnect took fifteen minutes! It cost 200 francs! Just to disconnect! Each and every connection charged by the minute ... no matter what!
Several hours later, I arrived at the Hazebrouck village police station.
Wendy was in the lockup.
"You look good in stripes," I said. I gave a little finger twirl. She obliged.
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