Both Nonny and Rano were eager to meet the Master; however, doubts befell Rano and made her wonder: "What kind of Master is he? Is he aware of our faith? We are longing for his sight, yet he doesn't seem to care ..."
At 4:00 P.M. on the 18th, Nonny and Rano promptly entered Hygeia House to meet the Eternal Beloved. They were greeted by Ruano, who told them with sympathy that Baba was very tired and would not be able to see them then. Dumbstruck and crestfallen, they were taken to meet Norina, Elizabeth and the Kimco group.
While they were talking about Baba, he sent a message: "Since you have come from such a long distance, I will see you. But you must not ask anything or talk to me. You should leave after seeing me."
Baba sent first for Nonny. While Rano nervously waited outside, her mind began working fast. The door slowly opened and Nonny stepped out — her eyes filled with tears. Rano was taken aback, for up to then she considered any person who gave way to their emotions as "silly and sentimental," and she could not understand what had happened to her mother.
Baba then called Rano inside. Here is how she once described this first meeting:
I had spent several restless hours becoming rather nervous at the thought of meeting someone I knew so little about, and yet that, in some strange way, I seemed drawn to. The moment came. I stepped into the room and everything around faded. All I saw was one whose beauty of expression defied description and who looked at me with such gentleness and kindness that it imprinted itself indelibly on my memory. I knew then that, were I never to see Meher Baba again, I had received something that would remain with me for always.
I had never seen anyone so beautiful in my life. I felt that Baba was the embodiment of everything. He had that love and compassion which is indescribable.
To this day, I do not know who else was in the room. There were only hazy figures, but clearly in their midst was Meher Baba with the most beautiful expression I had ever seen. Sweetness, love — everything that was beautiful — was there in his face. I stood, staring at him until someone finally removed me from the room.
Afterwards, Rano was with her mother and Ruano, discussing their individual meetings when Vivienne Giesen came dancing into the room in her "airy" way.