Indeterminacy 105

A lady carrying many packages
got on a Third Avenue bus.
Before
she was able to get a
seat, the bus
lurched forward.
The packages fell,
several of
them on a drunken bum
who had been muttering to
himself.
Looking
up at the lady blearily,
he said,
“Whashish?”
The
lady answered cheerfully,
“Those are Christmas
presents, my good man;
you know,
it’s Christmas.”

“Hell,” he said,
“thawashlashyear.”

- John Cage