Three little numbers. One big pain.

541. We all know this as our area code here in GroveAtopia. In fact it is the area code for most of Oregon south of Salem. If you want to know exactly where, you can look it up.

Not too long ago all of Oregon only had one area code: 503. Then because of something having to do with cell phones and people moving here, the 541 area code was created. We got used to it.

Here in GroveAtopia, we are small enough that until quite recently we only had one prefix: 942. Gosh that makes remembering people's phone numbers easy. Not as easy as it was when we had the simple exchange where we could simply dial two digits and ring someone up, but simple enough. The other prefix is 767, but it seems so few people have it that it is not too difficult to remember it when we must. It usually, though not always, belongs to people who have moved here somewhat recently.

As it works out, 942 is the default prefix. You don't even have to say it when someone asks you your phone number. You simply say the last four digits. The 942 is assumed. If you have a 767 prefix, well then you must say the whole phone number.

So here we were, merrily dialing each other, in most cases needing only to remember 4 digits. Then one day the phone company said no more. There are no more telephone numbers to give out in the 541 area code. Again, cell phones and new comers were to blame.

And the fix? Now we must all dial the 541 area code to talk to anyone in our area code. That means if we want to call anyone with a 942 or 767 prefix - which means anyone here in GroveAtopia - we must all dial 541 first. Now instead of dialing 7 digits and remembering 4, we must remember 4 but dial 10 and sometimes 11. That's because sometimes we need the 1 before the 541.

Dialing 541 applies no matter how far away the person lives. They could live clear out past London School or right next door, you still need to dial the 541 area code.

Once upon a time, an area code meant something. It was reserved for dialing long distance, to places far away. Now it just means, well, that there are lots of phones and people and not enough phone numbers to go around.

So it's going to take some time. Time to get used to. Time to get over being aggravated every time we forget to dial it. Time to make it as automatic as 942. Time to not think it's silly to dial an area code in a town as small as this when we just want to call the lady next door.