Rebirth 1973 - Chapter 44 A Phone Call Across The Sea

To get the Gurkhas to Indonesia, they must take a plane. The problem is that no airlines in Nepal that can lend 2 at once. Even the Nepal airlines owned by Nepal can’t lend 2 planes at once. Nepal is just too poor right now as they only entered modernization in 1951.

Nepal is so poor that they only have 1 one Boeing 737-200 and it’s always on a flight. This makes Henry headache just to think about this. Before he leaves from US, he thought he can lend the Nepal aircraft. But plan always changing, since Nepal don’t have the plane, it means he must get it from another source.

Henry came to Nepal by United Airlines, so this can be the starting point. The United Airlines uses Boeing 747-100 which can carry 400+ passenger which is perfect for Henry. The problem is he doesn’t want they know what he going to do with their plane if he rented it.

The fewer people know about the Gurkhas, the better. If not because of that, why not directly take a plane to the US then? The Gurkhas departure can’t be delayed because everything has been set up. So Henry must quickly think the solution for this problem.

Suddenly he got an idea, why not directly buy the plane instead? A Boeing 747-100 cost $39 Million each unit in 1972, but it always in short supply due it’s the biggest commercial passenger aircraft now. So to buy this plane a little problem, but he believes Senator John would be able to help him.

To call Senator John, it needs a Satellite International Call. There’s only one place where he can make the International Call in entire Nepal, the US embassy. So he quickly goes to the US embassy located in the center of Kathmandu.

The US embassy building is very different from the surrounding building as it was the most modern building. The US embassy in Nepal has been established in 1959 after the United States acknowledge the existence of the Kingdom of Nepal.

There are only a few tourists that visited Nepal in the 1970s especially an American People. So when Henry entered the embassy, he immediately noticed by the officer in the front desk. Henry walks toward the officer while handing his passport.

The officer takes the passport to an identification, after confirming it was true, he respectfully say, “Welcome to US embassy, Sir Henry. Do you need our help ?” Since the embassy establishment in 1959, there are only a few US people have ever come here.

Without exception, all of those people either a rich, powerful or have some prominence. He as a little embassy officer can’t afford to offend those people, so he will treat respectfully all the US people that come.

“Well, I want to make some International Call to the US, can you do it ?” Henry directly states his wish without further chit chat.

“I must ask our ambassador first as I can’t make this decision.” Then the officer left Henry alone. After just 5 minutes, he came back and say, “Please follow me Sir, the ambassador want to meet you.”

As he can only rely on the US embassy to make the call, so he can only follow it. The officer guide Henry to an office and gesture him to come in.

Inside the room, Henry can see an old man sitting on the table while staring at him. As Henry is not someone without a backbone, he stares back the old man. This silent confrontation last for 1 minute before the old man took the initiative to stop and smile.

“Welcome to our Nepal embassy, young man. My name is Louis Douglas Heck, the US ambassador for Nepal. Can I see your passport first ?” Ambassador Louis asked.

Henry hand over his passport to Louis. After 1 minute of a quick check, Louis return the passport and say with a surprised tone, “You already come to Nepal before ?”

“Well yes, this is my second trip to Nepal. Lets get back to the topic, I guess you already know what purpose I came for, so can you do it ?” Henry did not want chit chat further with Louis so he directly ask.

Louis rubs his chin while thinking. A 19 years old teenager go to Nepal alone without someone accompanying him. Even though he doesn’t know his purpose, he only needs to know this Henry is a rich guy just from his demeanor and ability to travel to Nepal.

He already thinks an idea so keep rubbing his chin and say, “You must know that International Call is difficult to do without an important reason. And it’s very expensive too.”

When Henry heard that, he knows that’s total bullshit as they are the only US embassy in Nepal so to make an International Call to the US is not difficult. He already know this Louis is an old fox just from his judgment.

He already knows what Louis wants so directly say, “$10,000, can you do it or not ?”

Louis smiled widely when he hear $10,000 as his salary as the ambassador is just over $20,000. Even though an International Call is expensive, there’s should $7,000 left even if Henry talk for 1 hour so he agrees without much hesitation.

Henry hand over an envelope that contains $10,000 to Louis. Louis accepted it and keep it in his suit pocket. Then he take a thick book from a drawer that inscribed International Call.

“What’s the state and city you want to call? And please write the phone number you want to call.”

“California, Montenegro.”

Then Louis wears his glasses and opens the book to search for California and Montenegro code number. To make an International Call work, it needs a country code, the states code, the city code and finally the phone number.

Henry takes a paper from Louis table and writes Senator John number. He writes Senator John private number as the official one is just too conspicuous. He didn’t fear Louis know who he going to call as it was a private number.

An International Call in this era can’t be recorded automatically too as the technology is limited. So he didn’t fear Louis know what the conversation. The International Call can be only known to the operator who switches it.

So unless it recorded in advance, the International Call he going to do will not be known. He doesn’t believe the operator would record an inconspicuous phone call from a small Nepal embassy. So his conversation with Senator John would remain unknown unless he or Senator John reveal it.