I don't recall if it was in the book, but the 1986 "Manhunter" film (an adaptation Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon") featured Hannibal Lecter abusing a phone with no

I don't recall if it was in the book, but the 1986 "Manhunter" film (an adaptation Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon") featured Hannibal Lecter abusing a phone with no dialing mechanism by way of shorting the switchhook to dial an operator by flashing. It was a neat thing to know how to do.