Knowing everything, he pretends to know nothing, thus carrying out such a fantastic ruse.
Meher Baba's work is wonderful and yet incomprehensible. In his divine working, he never did anything without some purpose; the interest his statements evinced in Hollywood were probably to make people truly aware of the Avatar and his stature, and to make them stick by him whether or not his statements were ever fulfilled.
Age agreed: "It is certain that Baba will 'speak' in Hollywood, from where the melody of his Word will spread throughout the world through films. Only Hollywood will be able to delineate Baba's life story to the world, which will listen to his Song's resonance because of it. His Song, though echoless, merges within itself all the echoes of the world!"
During his visit to Hollywood, Meher Baba kept his disciples busy seeking a suitable boy to fit his ideal (similar to the boys sought in India), whom he was anxious to take with him to China when he left.
Baba commented that the purpose of finding such a boy was "to link the West with the East."
Many American youngsters were brought to the Joneses' residence and interviewed by Baba. The final choice was a brown-haired twelve-year-old boy named Carl Philipp, but it was found impossible to arrange for his passport in time to enable him to accompany Baba to China. However, since Honolulu was an American territory, the boy was permitted to travel with Baba that far.
Initially, the Schlosses and Starrs were to accompany Baba to Hawaii, but Baba changed his plans. Meredith had become an annoyance. To get rid of him once more, he was sent away to Santa Barbara.
As a ruse, Baba warned him, "There is a bad influence here in Hollywood for one as spiritually sensitive as you."
Baba also canceled his intended visit to San Francisco (where Jean and Malcolm Schloss were sent). He instructed his other Western lovers about his work and sent them back to their respective homes, except for Quentin Tod who was to accompany him and the mandali in order to take care of Carl.
In the evening of Saturday, 4 June 1932, Marc Jones drove Baba and three of the mandali to the ship harbor, while Quentin and Adi Jr. followed in Celeste Withers Domola's car. Celeste was a cousin of the Joneses and had become very close and helpful to Baba during his stay.