As she and her son Beheram, who had accompanied her, entered his compound, Maharaj greeted her warmly, "Welcome, Mother, welcome!"
Memo was irritated by his comment and asked, "How could I be your mother when you are so old?"
"You are the mother of the entire universe, dear woman!" replied Upasni Maharaj.
Memo sensed he was up to some trickery, and said, "I won't be deceived by compliments. I am not here to be flattered by you. Show me where my son is! I have come for him."
Maharaj gently said, "Mother, first sit a while with me." Then he sent for Durgabai, telling her, "Cook something special for Merwan's mother." Maharaj began to press (massage) her feet. Memo, meanwhile, had forgotten to garland Upasni, so she unwrapped the flowers she had brought for him. Upasni remarked, "What a lovely garland of shoes you have brought!"
"What?" exclaimed Memo. "What do you mean by that? I have carried these flowers with me all the way from Poona just for you and ..."
"Yes, yes, I know what you were thinking," Upasni interrupted. "How you would fight with me when you got here! You were abusing me the entire way!"
Memo was taken aback and silently acknowledged the truth of his words, but she sensed he was trying to outwit her again and she said, "Now, Maharaj, don't get me sidetracked. I have come to speak with my son. Where is he?"
Upasni gently replied, "He is somewhere around. I don't know why he stays here. Your son seems mentally unbalanced. I don't know what to do about him. I myself don't force him to stay. I have even beat him with a stick to chase him away, but he will not go! What am I to do with him? ... Mother, what are you going to do when you take him home? Do you think it will help him?"
Memo replied, "Yes, it will help him. I shall arrange his marriage as soon as we get back to Poona!"
"That is a good idea," replied Maharaj, but then he added, "Mother, do one thing first. When you find a nice girl for Merwan, find another girl for me. Then we can both come with you to be married."
Memo was shocked by Upasni's request and replied, "Who will give his daughter to an old man like you?"
"But when I am your son, how can I be unsuitable?"