Behind the Lines: by David Heiller

David Heiller Cindy and I were heading to Reno a couple weeks ago when we spied a farmer haling hay. The farmer gave me a look from the seat of his John Deere tractor, as if he was waiting something, and he was. I waved. Then he waved back. I don’t know who it was, although my bet is that it was a Lampert. Then last Sunday afternoon Mom and I and some relatives were sitting in the yard. A man on an International tractor went clipping along to the north. Mom and I looked at the driver. We waited. He looked at us, then gave a wave. Morn and I gave a good one in return. Mom’s wave was particularly hearty. She looked like she was flagging down the threshing crew for the noon meal. I think she misses living in the country and giving a real wave. "Who was that?”‘ I asked. “I don’t know,” she answered. That’s the beauty of it: A wave is a good thing to do, no matter who it is. All right, there are a few exceptions, but not many. It’ s fun to think about wave protocol...