Observing him, Baba smilingly dictated, "How lucky you are that by your being in Ganeshkhind you have the advantage of my company."
Baba had come to Poona, at Don and Eruch's urging, to have a set of dentures made, for which Pappa Jessawala had contacted their family dentist, Dr. Bharucha. Eruch had brought Dr. Bharucha to Meherazad on the 16th, for the initial examination. The dentures were now to be fitted.
Bharucha agreed to supply platinum dentures for Rs.600. But instead, when they were delivered they were not made out of platinum, but of a cheaper material which was lighter. Pappa was furious and quarreled with the dentist, arguing that he should not be made to pay the platinum price. Pappa railed, "Such deceit is not good. We had agreed to pay Rs.600 for platinum, not ordinary dentures." Finally, the matter was settled at a lower price, and the doctor was paid Rs.450.
Pappa informed Baba of this, but Baba stated, "Go and pay him the remaining balance."
"What are you saying, Baba?" Pappa Jessawala asked incredulously. "Why should he be rewarded for his trickery?"
Baba replied, "Just to make him remember his deceit, he should be paid the Rs.150. It will remind him of what he did. My ways are quite different from the world's."1
While in Poona, Baba contacted a stout mast named Joshi Bua who stayed next to a urinal. Laxmikant Thade later visited this mast and mentioned that Baba was going to America. The mast became furious and said in Marathi, "Why is he going?! Can he not do his work from here? He will get his leg broken!"
Baba left for Bombay in Meherjee's car on 24 March and stayed at Ashiana. At Ashiana, Dr. Joglekar examined the condition of Baba's hemorrhoids, and Baba returned to Meherazad the following day. Because Baba was feeling weak, their departure date to the West was postponed for nine days, until the 18th of April.
Baba's hemorrhoid condition improved, and on the 29th, he again visited Happy Valley with the women, returning in the afternoon after lunch. Baba had visited this place off and on since 1923. It has consequently earned a special significance in his advent.
On his return from Bombay, Baba had sent an urgent telegram to Jal Kerawalla in Nagpur, calling him to Meherazad at once. Jal had some important government work to attend to at the time, but receiving Baba's message, he left immediately, and arrived at Meherazad on Sunday, 30 March 1952 and stayed for a few hours.
Baba informed him, "I need Rs.400. Could you give it to me?"
Without the least hesitation, Jal handed Baba the money, but thought: "Why did Baba call me all this way for such an insignificant thing? Had he made it known to me, I would have remitted the amount by money order from Nagpur." Jal had no idea of the real reason behind it. As it turned out, this was the last time he would ever see Baba.
Footnotes
- 1.The final dentures were delivered on 30 March when Bharucha returned to Meherazad.