Date:  Sat, 12 Nov 1994 12:31:44 -0500

From:  Robert Kelly <kelly[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]LEVY.BARD.EDU>

Subject: Re: Eighty-six



The folk wisdom I grew up hearing had it that 86 arose from short order

cook/counterman/waiter jargon, and meant "we're out of" or "cancel the

order" depending on who was speaking. (An interesting instance of

context modulating actual denotation.) I have heard other two and three

digit code terms as well, from the same context (I recall that one meant

"glass of water," another "order of toast"), but can't remember the

actual digits.



And would-be writers think it's professional to type -30-30- at the

end of the story, = The End.



Best,



RK