The outbound STA No. 43 hadn't even gotten out of downtown yesterday afternoon when a car pulled in front of the bus so sharply that the bus driver braked and applied his horn lightly.

Another passenger, a guy standing up near the front, brayed that the situation demanded a stronger response. He recommended a certain hand gesture.

The driver didn't seem to pay much attention.

But about 10 minutes later, as I was about to get off at my stop, I said something like the following to the driver.

"I guess it wouldn't be very professional for you to flip off other drivers in traffic...and I suppose STA's administration wouldn't consider that good public relations."

When I finally let him speak, he nodded and said "I can't even do a hidey."

With that, he hunched over and flipped the bird toward the front window with this right hand while covering up the gesture with his cupped left hand.

I had not seen that since 7th grade algebra.

A hidey.

The great ones never die. 

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