It's something I've been meaning to ask for help with for a long time.

Using my touch tone phone on my desk and calling someone within the county, I never know if I need to "dial" 1-501 or 1- before the number or if I can go right to the seven-digit number I'm calling.

It's different on my cell phone. I just dial the seven digits no matter where in the county (or the state) I'm calling.

I spend some time each day re-dialing numbers to Vilonia, Greenbrier, Wooster, Mayflower, Enola, El Paso and other county locations. Sometimes I guess right. Most of the time, I get the deedle-deedle-deedle signal that means I've guessed wrong.

I don't know the secret. I suppose it has to do with what's a "local" call and what's "long distance," but knowing which is which escapes me.

Maybe folks who grew up here know the answer. I've only lived here 10 years. I'm clueless.