Pendu and Don went to meet the landlord. He was a lawyer, and was entertaining guests when they arrived. They talked with him, after which he drew up an agreement in Urdu.
“”Pendu returned to the hotel late at night, and Baba asked, "What does the agreement say?"
"It is in Urdu," Pendu replied. "I can't read it, but he prepared it according to our terms."
“”"But we must know exactly what it says. If it has not been properly drawn up, there will be trouble later."
It was quite late, most people were asleep, and who was Pendu supposed to find to translate the document? He left, and as he was walking around the hotel he saw three Muslims sitting in a room drinking wine. Pendu asked if anyone read Urdu, and one of them, rather drunkenly, answered, "Come, friend, I am your servant — at your command, ready to obey. What have you brought?" Pendu took him to Baba. He staggered in, grandly shook hands with Baba, and began reading the agreement out loud with dramatic flourish.
Baba was amused and entertained by his performance.
“”He would indicate to Pendu to tell him, "Read it again, read it again!"
And the drunken Muslim would begin once more and falter through it. After reading the full text several times and shaking hands with Baba, he staggered out.
As he was leaving, he said, "If my services are required further, don't hesitate to call me." After he left, Baba had two or three corrections made, and the next day the agreement with the lawyer was executed.
Baba worked with more masts in Hyderabad on the 23rd, and the next day, with some in Secunderabad. He returned to Ahmednagar on Sunday, 25 February. It was his 51st birthday, but nothing special was made of it. He continued his stay at Rusi Pop's house in Ahmednagar with the women.
Meanwhile, in the war, the bloody battle on the island of Iwo Jima in the Pacific between the Japanese troops and the U.S. marines had begun and was continuing with many casualties. Baba's contemplated move to Hyderabad seemed to be bringing the war to a conclusion.
On Sunday, 28 February 1945, Baba went to see how work at Pimpalgaon was coming along, and he worked for some time with Ali Shah, also, who had been brought from Ahmednagar for the day.
Since Baba was staying in Ahmednagar, he would often visit the Sathas at Akbar Press, and sometimes Gulmai and Adi Sr. at Khushru Quarters.
