Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster …

Teens and “tweeners” are credited with the current hot phrase “6-7”.

Dictionary. com says the phrase is it’s “Word of the Year”.

The resource reports it could mean “50-50” or “maybe this, maybe that” and to complete the phrase, you need to give a hand-juggling gesture.

It might be more of an inside joke with an unclear meaning driven by social media.

Dictionary.com is still trying to figure out exactly what it means.

“6-7” is linked to rapper “Skrilla’s” song from 2024, “Doot Doot (6-7)”.

It started appearing on TicTok videos with basketball players, including the NBA’s LaMelo Bell who coincidentally stands 6 feet 7 inches tall.

A boy, now known as “The 6-7 Kid” shouted the phrase while another kid standing next to him juggled his hands in a video that went viral.

The Merriam Webster folks says “6-7” is a “nonsensical expression, especially used by teens and tweeners” and is generally regarded as harmless.

Now, if these teens and tweeners think they’ve broken new ground with this “6-7” number’s thing, take a number and have a seat.

There was a 1920’s-era slang phrase, “23 skiddoo” which meant, “Get going!” or be forced to leave.

Back in the day when CB radios were the rage, “10-4” and “What’s you 20?” became modern day lingo.

There was a move in 2000 called “The Whole Nine Yards”.

The phrase means “everything, the entire amount or giving to the fullest extent”.

Reminds me of my Air Force days when we used to tell “newbies” to go to supply and get 20 yards of flight line.

Robert Lamm and Chicago confused many with their 1969 hit, “25 or 6 to 4” which was a simple reference to a mental block while song writing and referred to the early morning time of 3:35AM or 3:34AM.

“Cloud 9” by the Temptations, also in 1969, referred to the euphoria of drug use in that era.

Author Joseph Heller penned “Catch 22” in 1961 and that became a phrase used for “an impossible situation or a paradox where the solution to the problem is prevented by the problem itself”.

When one drank too much, we’d say he was “3 sheets to the wind” which connects to sailing and being out of control when 3 sails were loose.

Sorta like “One over the eight” which is the final drink that renders you drunk.

Then you might find yourself “On all fours”.

We’ve all been “Behind the 8 ball” which connects to pool and billiards and having a tough shot impeded by the black 8-ball.

Were you ever “Dressed to the 9’s?”

Its from a Scottish phrase “to the nine” or perfection and it means you are attired quite fashionably and sophisticated.

Energy lagging?

How about “40 winks”.

It refers to a quick nap but some indicated a wink is another term for minute and a 40-45 minute nap is said to be perfect to recharge your batteries.

We’ve all undergone the “Third degree” or an intense line of questioning or a barrage of seemingly endless inquiries sometimes forcing us to go “Back to square One” or simply start over. It has a game board connotation.

If you do something thoroughly, that’s “Six ways to Sunday”.

If were endure all that, we might celebrate with a “High Five”.

How about the “Five finger discount”, slang for shoplifting?

If you wear glasses like me, you may have heard, “Hey, ‘four eyes’!”

Surfers started “Hang Ten” from dangling all their tootsies over the front of the surfboard.

An everyday sort of a guy has been known as “Joe Six Pack” but if he’s in shape, he might have a “Six Pack” beneath his shirt and above his waist.

Dave Brubeck 5-4 timed us with “Take 5” which means “Take a break”.

If you ever spent a day in the “slammer”, that was also known as “3 hots and a cot”.

Less that authentic?

“Phony as a 3 dollar bill”.

So, you see, “Youth of Today”, this “6-7” thing is not all that unique.

We old buzzards were using our own versions of “6-7” long before you even thought of it.

These catch phrases are “A dime a dozen”.