You can combine the last two lines: 
my ($first_three) = $phone =~ /(\d{3})/;

[download]

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)

In reply to (jeffa) 2Re: obtaining the three leftmost characters of a string by jeffa
in thread obtaining the three leftmost characters of a string by Baz

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