I remember my grandmother's phone number was 883W ... you picked up the phone, waited for the operator then told her the number wanted.. you didn't have to dial. And I remember as a kid we were on an 8 party line. We knew to pick up when it rang three short rings. And I also remember picking up when the neighbors got calls and listening in, hand over the mouthpiece... sometimes they caught on.. "hang up that phone you rotten kids!!" lol [shckd]