Elizabeth stopped the car and went into a small restaurant next to the church to inquire. Shortly thereafter she came out with an elderly man in a worn suit and a solar topee. He looked about 60, with a long grey beard and long hair, but bald on top. He told her in English the church was open at all times. Baba looked at the man and then departed.
That evening, all went with Baba to see Francis Xavier's tomb.1 Just as they were about to return, the same old man walked up to Elizabeth and started a conversation. He told her he had come from Karachi where he wrote plays, which were still unpublished. He had come to Goa to write about it. He also mentioned modern dramas, and even the playwright Bernard Shaw. Jalbhai, Kaka, Don and Baba stood around him as the man talked. Baba directed Jalbhai to ask if he needed anything, specifically money, and the man replied, "No, thanks very much," and glanced quickly at Baba.
Later that evening, back at the hotel Baba revealed to the group about the man:
"You are all blind. He is very spiritually advanced and a conscious agent. All his talk about writing plays had hidden meaning, meant for me. I gave him certain instructions internally and tomorrow he will leave Goa."
The next day, Elizabeth suddenly encountered the man again. He told her in a cryptic manner, "I don't know why, but I feel all on fire! Although I intended to stay in Goa for some months, I have to leave at once for a cold country in the north."
Elizabeth related the strange meeting to Baba who remarked, "As Elizabeth had been the first to meet him, she must also be the last."
Later that day, they heard on the radio that, without prior warning, Germany had invaded Denmark and Norway on the 9th — both cold countries "in the north."
In Panjim, Elizabeth asked Baba one day, "Very good quality ice cream is available here. May I bring some for all?"
Baba replied, "That is an excellent idea; but it should not cause colds and affect your throats."
Baba sent for Nilu and asked, "What remedy is there to prevent getting sore throats from eating ice cream?"
Nilu replied, "Garlic chutney would be a good prophylactic against any side effects from ice cream." Baba permitted Elizabeth to bring ice cream, and she was very happy.
Footnotes
- 1.Baba had taken the mandali to this church in 1924.