Nothing the other doctors did seemed to change Merwan's mood or behavior. His mother thought his mind was disturbed and hoped the doctors could reestablish his "peace of mind." To his mother he appeared absorbed in something and refused to divulge what it was. Memo understandably became more and more upset and superstitiously believed that some "evil eye" was responsible for her son's condition.
In the following nine months, Merwan lived without sleep. His eyes became glassy, and a vacant stare remained the fixed expression on his once-animated face. If he sat, he would sit for hours without moving — seemingly staring into empty space. If he paced about the house, he would keep it up until someone could not stand it any longer and stopped him.
On one very hot day, Merwan slipped out of the house and started walking toward the river. He reached Bund Garden, but without stopping there, he turned around and hurried toward home again. After going some distance, he again turned around and headed back toward Bund Garden. When he reached the park, he quickly changed direction again and walked toward home. He did this three times, walking fifteen miles in the blazing afternoon sun. He had walked so fast that it would have exhausted an ordinary man, yet he did not seem affected by it.
Also, during these nine months, Merwan never ate solid food and grew gaunt and pale. When food was thrust on him forcefully by his mother, he would hide it in his coat pocket or in his dresser drawer, where it would rot. Sometimes Merwan would take the plate of food to his room, and when his mother left the house, he would take it outside to feed the stray dogs, cats or cows on the street. If his mother returned and happened to see him doing this, she would be even more distressed. The young man's once cheerful, sunny disposition seemed to have vanished into the eccentricity of a lunatic. Memo became deeply afraid that her son might be going insane.
During this period Merwan would often slip out of the house to visit Babajan. At one point Memo became so desperate and worried about Merwan's condition that she persuaded her mother Golandoon to accompany her to confront Babajan. The two ladies approached Babajan, and Memo pointedly asked, "I know Merwan visits you frequently. What have you done to my son? What have you to do with him? Why does he visit you? He has never acted like this before."