Intuitively, Darwin felt that Baba might be the One he was expecting. Another newspaper article during 1932 announced that Meher Baba had arrived in America and would be staying at a retreat near Harmon for about ten days.
By this time, Darwin had come to feel that Meher Baba was the Returned Christ. He had reached out to Baba inwardly and he felt that Baba actually responded by visiting him in spirit. His feelings about Baba were so strong that he felt like leaving his job and going right away in search of Baba. However, he allowed his feelings to be overruled by his rational thinking. He thought that, since Baba would be there for ten days, he could wait a few days until he would have the Memorial Day holiday off from work.
So, on Memorial Day weekend, Darwin and one of his friends, a 22-year-old neighbor named Donald Holloway, drove to Harmon, about 130 miles away. They soon found the retreat, only to learn that Baba had finished his work there early and gone on to California. This was a deep disappointment. However, the feeling there of Meher Baba's "loving presence" was still very evident. They were welcomed by a few of Baba's followers who were still there, namely Josephine Grabau, her mother Mary Antin, Milo Shattuck, Anita de Caro, Howard Inches and Grace Mann.1 Josephine asked Darwin if he would like to write to Baba. He did, pouring out his heart in a letter, offering his life in Baba's service. Darwin immediately mailed it and returned to the retreat for dinner. Halfway through the meal, he began to feel Baba replying to the letter. Darwin felt a "welling through the heart with unmistakable love ... answering everything in my letter," and tears began falling from his eyes. Although he deeply regretted missing Baba, Darwin was happy that he had found Baba's followers and longed for the day when he could meet the Master in the flesh. In 1934, therefore, it was truly a joyous occasion when Darwin and Jeanne Shaw, both 26, received a telegram from Norina saying that Meher Baba was on his way to New York City and she had made an appointment for them to meet the Master at his hotel on 12 December. Darwin made all the necessary preparations to take advantage of this opportunity and eagerly awaited the day of Baba's arrival.
