Harold Justin Rudd, 37, of New Jersey, had heard of Baba from Norina just a few months before. He recalled his first meeting with Baba that day:
I traveled from New Jersey by car all night long with my wife, Virginia, to Myrtle Beach. My wife knew nothing or little about beloved Baba. My meeting with Baba was momentous. I was ushered into the Barn by Delia. As soon as my name was spoken, Baba immediately arose from his comfortable armchair and was waiting for me. I had plenty of preconceived and ignorant notions about a Master and Masters. My background was Theosophy and my belly was full of Masters and the total wreck of my life in following that particular path. So I decided I would look right into the eyes of Beloved Baba and find out for myself if Meher Baba was a Master.
As soon as I approached him, he flung his arms around me and the first thing I knew, I was weeping like a child. Baba was most pleased. He spelled on the alphabet board: "Tell him he loves Baba very much." I was quite pleased by this. Then Baba added: "But also tell him that Baba loves him very much." This delighted me even more.
Baba discussed certain personal matters with Harold for a few minutes, and his concluding remark was: "I will see what God has in store for you. When I call you, be ready to leave immediately."
When Virginia, 36, entered, Baba also stood up, held her hand and caressed her. But Virginia was unaware of this. "I went in and the whole universe disappeared," she said. "I became completely unconsious. I never saw Baba. I never saw anyone or anything else in the room. I was 'zapped out.' I was stupified, dazed. The only thing I was conscious of was a very faint golden atmosphere — it wasn't a light, it was a beautiful atmosphere. That's the only thing I can recall. But I was so happy. Deliriously happy." One of Margaret Craske's ballet dancers, Barbara Mahon, also had the opportunity of meeting Baba that day, along with Ella Massie, Myrna Bailin and Mattlyn Gavers. The following is Barbara Mahon's recollection: Baba sat in what I later came to think of as his usual place in the Barn. He was in white, his hair down. He was smaller than I had imagined. He was smiling, gay. How did I feel? Mainly numb, dumb and very shy. There seemed nothing to say. For my previous two years of thinking about Baba, I had long since decided that since he was God and since God is in us all — there just was not anything to ask or say. I had long felt that Baba must actually know me — my innermost thoughts and feelings ... Baba told us he knew we had made sacrifices to come — that he loved us and suffered for us. Yet, though this sounds serious, there was laughter in his eyes and such tenderness and love.