The mandali had eaten no dinner the night before, so Baba allowed them a hearty breakfast before setting out for his mast work. He contacted nine masts in two days. Among the most significant was the high mast Haji Telwala , with whom Baba had worked before. Telwala was covered from head to foot with rancid cooking oil ( tel ) and was unbelievably dirty.
Baba also contacted the fifth-plane mast Shah Jehan , who was also very dirty, and kept himself in a dark room filled with junk. The room was like a tomb; it had no windows.
When Baba was out looking for masts on Mukamma Ghat in Batanagar on Thursday, 1 April 1948, an amusing incident took place. Baba was conversing with Baidul, Chhagan, Eruch, Gustadji and Kaka. As Gustadji was keeping silence, he was "talking" with his fingers, and Eruch, who was the most adept at putting his gestures into words, was interpreting for Baba. Because Gustadji had enjoyed a bumper breakfast that morning, he was in a good mood and his fingers moved rapidly.
Nearby a policeman was observing this odd exchange and became suspicious. He asked everyone to accompany him to the police station. Eruch asked what they had done wrong. "This man is not speaking but making signals and I am suspicious of him. You'll have to come with me to the station to be interrogated." The policeman thought there were some secret coded messages being passed between Baba and Gustadji by signs. Due to the bitter relations between India and Pakistan at the time, even the smallest, most trivial incidents were viewed with apprehension.
Eruch assured him, "We are Parsis, and this person is dumb and therefore was speaking through signs."
Gustadji's feelings were pricked by this repeated remark and he gestured to Eruch, "Why do you always call me 'dumb'? Am I dumb or observing silence?"
Eruch did not pay any attention to him and continued talking with the officer, but Baba snapped at Eruch, "What is he saying, what is he saying? Why don't you tell me what Gustadji is saying?"
When the policeman saw that there were two "dumb" persons in their group, he became even more suspicious! Eruch, with difficulty, persuaded him of their innocence and the man left.
Now an argument ensued between Eruch and Gustadji. Gustadji asked again, "Why do you always call me dumb?"
"Had I not said you were dumb, you would have been locked up in jail!" Eruch explained.