When Elizabeth returned home that night, she pasted the flower inside the cover of her New Testament and wrote, "Baba — May 24, 1932." In the mid-1950s, when she was unpacking a trunk, she happened to notice the book again and read the inscription next to the flower. Its significance was instantly apparent. Baba had given her the flower 20 years to the day prior to his automobile accident in Prague, Oklahoma, May 24, 1952, in which Elizabeth had been driving.
"But that was far into the future." Age mused. "These days in the spring of 1932 were filled with ecstasy and bliss; the lovers' hearts were overflowing with the God-Man's presence in their midst. Little did they know that the Avatar was destined to break his bones and shed his blood on American soil."
At midnight on Wednesday, 25 May 1932, Meher Baba left Harmon by train with Jean and Malcolm, Meredith and Margaret Starr, Kaka, Chanji, Adi Jr. and Beheram. (Ghani left to return to India via Europe.) Quentin was on the Iroquois train already, having boarded in New York City.
The group reached Chicago, Illinois the next evening at 7:20 P.M., by way of Cleveland, Ohio. In Chicago, they had to change trains to the Golden State Limited, necessitating an hour's wait, during which time reporters surrounded Baba. Baba gave them a short message and was photographed. In New York, there had been at times as many as 48 reporters accompanied by cameramen near Baba during press conferences.
Baba and the mandali quickly drove around Chicago in taxis, along Lake Shore Drive and through the city, before reboarding the train and continuing their journey.1 At the photo session, Meredith and Malcolm both tried to be near Baba, which resulted in a quarrel. Baba then asked Quentin to stand next to him, which pierced Meredith's inflated ego even more.
Missouri was the next stop. Baba was again met by reporters and photographed in Kansas City on 27 May 1932 at 9:00 A.M. The train halted for 40 minutes, and Baba accommodated the press by answering questions. He then strolled outside the station for about half an hour.
An example of the kind of publicity Baba was receiving at this time can be observed in an article which appeared on the front page of the Kansas City Evening Star that night:
Baba To Give Up His 'Uh'
A Few More Months and 7-Year Silence Will End!
He'll Become a Messiah in Hollywood Then And His Fingers Will Get a Rest
Footnotes
- 1.Quentin later wrote: "Baba took a short drive and saw all the buildings then under construction for the exhibition [Chicago World's Fair] of 1933. He also drove through the principal streets of the city. "