Baba gave him such a disapproving look that he knew he was in trouble. The minute Norina left the room, Baba started to give Adi Jr. a hard, stinging blow. He tried to duck, but Baba's hand caught him on the ear. Ever since then, Adi's hearing was impaired.
"What was that for?" cried Adi.
"You should have said the show was good. Norina must have been terribly disappointed by your remark."
"Baba, you asked me something. Should I have lied to you? I spoke the truth."
"It is more important to please others than to speak the so-called truth!"
One afternoon Baba went to Anita de Caro's apartment (617 West 143 St.) to see her ailing mother, Jacqueline who had cancer, but who had no fear of dying.1 Anita recollected, "It was a meeting of tremendous silence and understanding." Baba told Mrs. de Caro that Anita was in his hands and assured her that there was no need to worry about her illness, because she would soon be free. He held her in his arms and she wept.
Baba comforted her, "Birds that are free do not realize their freedom. Only birds that are caged can appreciate it. You will soon be free."
Anita was now solely dedicated to Baba, and he instructed her to stay with her mother until he called for her. Norina was thinking of opening a school of modern art, and Anita wondered whether she should enroll in college, Norina's new school or another art school. Baba informed her that he would tell her what to do after some time.
With the several interviews and private meetings, Baba was fully occupied during his brief stay in New York. He also permitted himself to be filmed at the Stokeses' residence by a Fox Movietone News crew. Meredith sat beside him and "read" the board. He began by asking Baba, "What is your mission?"
"To make others realize the Truth in every phase of life and to make brotherhood a practical fact."
"Why have you come especially to America?"
"Because there is greater energy in America than elsewhere, but most of this energy is misdirected. I will divert it into creative and spiritual channels."
"What will happen when you break your silence?"
"Those to whom I speak will be instantaneously convinced of the Truth."
Footnotes
- 1.True to Baba's prediction, Jacqueline de Caro passed away four months later.