Indeterminacy 119

Mr. Romanoff is sixty years old. Mr. Nearing
is seventy years old. Mr. Romanoff’s mother
is eighty-five. On one of the mushroom field
trips, a photographer came who had been sent
by The New York Times. We took the Stony
Brook trail. We had no sooner gotten
started than the photographer busied himself taking
pictures. Soon Mr. Romanoff was not to be
seen. Mr. Nearing drew Lois Long aside and
said, “Mr. Romanoff has had an accident to
his pants. Would you find out whether one
of the ladies has a safety pin?” Lois Long
complied. A very small safety pin was
found, and Lois Long gave it to Mr.
Romanoff. He came back to the group.
The safety pin, being so small,
proved ineffective. Mr. Romanoff
nevertheless stayed with the group, and,
as the walk continued, the
split in his pants progressed until it was
complete, crotch to cuff. We
stopped for lunch at a spring.
Mr. Romanoff looked at his pants and said,
“My mother will hear about this.”

- John Cage