ordering phone calls

in 1992 russia, it wasn't easy to make international phone calls. when i wanted to call home, i had to go to a central telegraph/telephone office to "order" a  call three days before the actual event. three days later i would return, and sit in a booth, while a russian operator connected me with my family.

sometimes, after three days of anticipation, the call would fail or my family would be away, and i would go back to my dorm room very lonely.

[written 25 september; posted 26 september]