Back in the day, it was something like 46pfg every 6 seconds to call from Germany. So we would call our folks, say "Hi", hang up, and they would call us back, as it was much cheaper to call us from the states (like $.35 minute as opposed to our $3.75/min*). However, my ex-'s mom could never get the time difference correct, and would call at 2-3am. Which would get my heart racing as that was when they would call "Alerts" (Lariat Advance was the code phrase), just to have my clueless MIL say "Hi, is so-so there?"
She finally figured it out after I called her once at 2am, her time, on a Wednesday. "Hi MIL, how's the weather there, here's your daughter..."
Glad to see that things have changed for the better. Capitalism and innovation bringing people closer and driving down costs...
* - We did send several wives back to the states after running up several thousands of dollars of Bundespost Phone bills, because PV2 Snuffy was out in the field a lot and they lonely so called home to talk to family and friends....for hours.... IIRC, the record was over $28,000 in phone calls back to the states.... Yep, PV2 Snuffy got moved into the barracks, Mrs. Snuffy got a flight back to the states, and the Deutschebundespost got a payment plan for pfennigs on the Deutschemark....
