Why did you bring this big container when I particularly specified a smaller one?"
Eruch kept quiet, and after Baba was seated in the car they proceeded.
"When will Kumar be in Khuldabad?"
Baba asked Eruch.
"I presume on the 14th [of December]," he replied.
"But I want him there on the 12th! How did this misunderstanding occur?"
Baba went on repeating the same thing again and again, commenting that this was the second onerous event. Baba was also insistent that Adi drive faster, but since the roads were bad, he could not do so.
Along the way, about 40 miles from Ahmednagar, near the village of Loni, a group of women crossed the road from right to left. Suddenly, one girl ran back across the road. Adi quickly braked to avoid hitting her, but another girl had unexpectedly followed her, unnoticed by Adi. She was hit by the left front fender and flung to the right side of the road, where she rolled on the dusty ground. Adi immediately stopped the car, and Baba and the others got out to examine her. Cold water was sprinkled on the girl and she regained consciousness. Baba advised that she be removed to a hospital, and Adi took her to the sugar factory clinic nearby with the help of Dhake and Waman. Baba sat down with Eruch and Chhagan under a tree to wait.
Since the girl was the victim of an automobile accident and not a factory-related injury, the doctor at the clinic refused to treat her and said she should be taken to a government civil hospital. Dhake consulted a friend named Desai, who worked in the factory. He managed to persuade the doctor to examine her and determine if she had any serious injuries. The girl was not hurt badly and, after arranging for her treatment, Adi returned to Baba, who was calm and unperturbed.
He said, "Of a series of five, this is the third mishap. Two more are still to come! The girl was to die, but was fortunate [that Baba was there]."
He then "hammered" Adi, scolding him, "Why didn't you drive fast? Had you driven as I instructed, we wouldn't have come across the women — we would have passed before they crossed the road. For God's sake, do as I tell you!"
Baba and the men arrived in Khuldabad at 1 P.M. Baba had instructed Pendu and Vishnu to station two men on the road to direct their car to their accommodations, but no one was there.