> "dial" these "low" numbers by just quickly pushing and releasing the hook button In New Zealand as a kid, we dialed numbers using the hook by subtracting the

> "dial" these "low" numbers by just quickly pushing and releasing the hook button In New Zealand as a kid, we dialed numbers using the hook by subtracting the digits from 10 because the rotary digits were labelled the reverse of other countries. The pay phones there in the 1970's required 3 two-cent coins for a call, but not if you dialed using the hook. In the first season of The Wire, the drug dealers use the same subtract-from-10 system, but it's for their secret code using push-button pay phones.