Indeterminacy 136

I was twelve years old. I got out my bicycle and rode
over to KFWB. They said, “What do you want?” I said,
“I’d like to give a weekly radio program for the Boy
Scouts.” They said, “Are you an Eagle?” I said, “No,
I’m a Tenderfoot.” They said, “Did the Boy Scouts
send you?” I said, “No, I just got the idea and came
over.” They said, “Well, run along.” So I went over
to KNX. They liked the idea and arranged a time for
the first program. I then went to the Boy Scouts,
told them what had happened, and asked for their
approval and cooperation. They said it was all right
to give the program but that they would not
cooperate. In fact, they never did. Each time I
asked for the Boy Scout band, they said No.
Individual Scouts all gave their services willingly.
There were boy sopranos; trumpet, trombone, and
piano soloists; and Scouts who spoke on their
experiences building fires and tying knots. The
volume of fan mail increased each month. After two
years, the organization called up KNX, said they’d
never authorized the program, and demanded that
I be put out and they be put in. They were.
The band finally played. A few weeks
later, KNX took the program off the air.

- John Cage