The Golden Telephone
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An American decided to write a book about famous churches around the world.  
For his first chapter he decided to write about famous English and Welsh cathedrals.  
So he bought a plane ticket and made the trip to London, thinking that he 
would work his way across the country.  

On his first day he was inside a church taking photographs when he noticed 
a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read "10,000 Pounds per call". 
The American, intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by, what the telephone 
was used for.  The priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that 
for 10,000 Pounds you could talk to God.  The American thanked the priest and 
went along his way.  

Next stop was in Manchester.  There, at a very large cathedral, he saw the 
same golden telephone with the same sign under it.  He wondered if this was the 
same kind of telephone he had seen in London and he asked a nearby nun what 
it's purpose was.  She told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that 
for  10,000 Pounds  he could talk to God.  "O.K., thank you", said the American.  

He then travelled to Nottingham, Coventry and Bath and in every church he saw 
the same golden telephone with the same "10,000 Pounds per call" sign under it. 

With his first chapter going well, he left England and travelled to Wales, 
and, again, there was the same golden telephone, but this time the sign 
under it read "10p per call."  The American was surprised so he asked the priest 
about the sign :  "Father, I've travelled all over England, and I've seen this 
same golden telephone in many churches.  I'm  told that it is a direct line to 
heaven, but in all the cities in England the price per call was  10,000 Pounds 
per call.  Why is it so cheap here ?" 

The priest smiled and answered,  "You're in Wales now, son, it's a Local call".



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