The Wave

On a country road, you lift one finger off the steering wheel. One finger if you don't know them. Two if it's a truck. The whole hand if it's someone you know. I was told this is a system. I was never told the system.

I've tried one finger. I've tried the whole hand on a stranger, who looked at it. Once I did a pinkie by accident. For most of last year I kept both hands at ten and two and stared straight ahead, which people took the wrong way.

A man in a green pickup passes me every morning at 7:40 near the Hendersons' barn. He lifts a different amount each day. Monday, one finger. Tuesday, two. Wednesday, a thumb.

I answer in kind, but a day behind, so on Tuesday I'm answering Monday.

Yesterday, Thursday, he held up three fingers.

I'm doing research.