Someone would invariably take it from the pinjra (screened cupboard). Babu was castigated for this by Pendu and Baba, but was at a loss to explain how the cream would disappear.
One night he hid in the kitchen. After some time, Darabshah J. Oomrigar of Bhavnagar stealthily entered and ate the cream. Babu informed Baba.
Calling Darabshah to his cabin, Baba asked, "Do you secretly take cream from the pantry and eat it?"
"Yes, Baba," he admitted.
"Why do you do it?"
Darab, who had the innocent heart of a child, said, "You have told us to feel absolutely at home here and stay as one family. Well, at home, I always take food when I am hungry. If I don't do the same here, it would be a breach of your orders!"
Baba highly enjoyed his logic and embraced him.
"You are the only one who has had my real sahavas!"
After lunch, Baba briskly paced the verandah back and forth.
He looked solemnly at a few close lovers and asked them, "What are you thinking?"
They said, "We were thinking you must be doing some important Universal work."
With a smile, Baba replied, "I am not doing any important work but just digesting my food!"
Entering the hall Baba sent for Pendu, Padri, Sidhu and Bhau.
"Do you want to kill me?" he began. "The carpet [spread in the hall for the men attending the sahavas to sit on] is so full of dust that whenever I walk clouds of dust rise and enter my nostrils. Who brushes the carpet?"
Sidhu said he did.
"Did your father ever clean a carpet?" Baba scolded. "Is this called dusting? It should be taken outside and shaken daily!"
"The carpet is very heavy, Baba," Sidhu said. "Twenty men would be required to shake it!"
Baba turned to Bhau, asking, "Did your father ever clean a carpet?"
"No," Bhau replied.
"But you must! If the slightest dust is found in the carpet tomorrow, I won't forgive you!"
(In truth, there was no dust in the carpet, but Baba wanted it shaken. So every night, collecting about 20 to 25 men, Bhau began having the heavy carpet shaken outside.)
Baba then noticed two birds in the hall, and again Bhau and Sidhu were reprimanded: "Why did you allow the birds in the hall?"
Bhau defended himself, "I am occupied with other work and am seldom near the hall. How could I have prevented them from flying inside?