Baba turned to her with a look of amazement on his face and gestured, "What do you mean, Kitty, their father? I am their father and I will always be so."1
At the theater, a group of military wives had shown up with their membership money just as Baba was arriving.2 Jane pleaded with the women to leave, and, grabbing Wendy's hand, went running to receive Baba at the door. Jane and Wendy were dressed in twin purple orchid dresses, which Baba admired. Wendy, age six, flew straight into his arms, and Baba kissed her.
Besides Charmian Duce's film, Chhabra's film of the recent Indian sahavas at Meherabad was also shown, after which Baba returned to the Center at about 4:30 P.M.3
Baba arrived at the Barn on Friday morning, 23 May 1958 and began the proceedings by clearing up a misunderstanding about the day's program:
I do not want to give interviews. I want to stop all interviews. But this does not bind me. I have made it clear at the beginning that I might call a single person for half a day, or I might not call anyone at all. I might call a small group to my house, or I might call the women and girls to my house. This means I cannot be bound by my decision. I feel some of you are thinking: "Why does Baba call five near him, or why does he call Anita every day or Margaret? Why not the rest?" It all depends on my wish. It does not mean I love them more or others less. Maybe the one whom I do not call at all I love more than all the others. I told Nariman to tell Don that every day I will pay a visit from nine o'clock to noon at the Barn. It may be 9, 9:30 or 10:00 A.M., but expect me at the Barn at 9:00 A.M. Then I go to the Lagoon Cabin until 2:00 P.M. I might call someone for my work or I might not. When I go to my house, I may call someone or may keep 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. for interviews, and finish the sahavas by giving interviews. These are two alternatives; I like them both. We still have to decide. So, hands up for the Barn?
[Many hands were raised.]
Hands up for interviews?
[Not one was raised.]
Footnotes
- 1.Coincidentally, Sonny Haynes, the children's father, had come to the Center to see his children during Baba's visit and passed in front of the Lagoon Cabin while Baba was inside, but did not meet him.
- 2.Myrtle Beach had a large U. S. Air Force base at the time, and many military personnel resided in the town.
- 3.During Baba's visit to Myrtle Beach in 1958, he was being filmed by Mary Andriani.