After Baba embraced each person, he took his seat in John Bruford's car, with Eruch and Francis in the back. Bill Le Page and Robert Rouse followed with the other mandali and the luggage. Everyone waved as Baba's car drove off for Brisbane. The lovers had been instructed to remain until the following morning. Baba also instructed that no one was to enter Baba's House for the next two days, and that all had to disperse back to their homes in NSW and Victoria, and upon arrival, send Baba a cable from their destinations.
Baba and the mandali arrived in Brisbane at 4:30 P.M. and stayed again overnight at the cottage in the Bellevue Hotel. Baba asked for nothing but plain spinach for his evening meal, but the woman who prepared the meal felt compelled to add a little lemon juice.
“”The spinach returned with the message: "Why add anything when Baba had asked for it plain?"
It was another lesson in obedience.
In the morning the four Australians (Francis, John, Bill and Robert), Baba and the four mandali took a flight to Sydney and then taxied to Meher House (the Le Page residence), where they settled in for the day. On arrival, there was a "mini-crisis" when Bill couldn't find the keys to the house. In order not to keep Baba waiting, he climbed in through a window to allow Baba in. As the others were busy with luggage, Bill found himself alone in the house with Baba. Feeling awkward, Bill invited Baba to sit on a bed whilst he hunted for the keys. Baba meekly obeyed, but soon reseated himself on the cane chair and watched Bill with amusement. Bill became increasingly nervous and said 'perhaps the keys fell under the floor.' Baba gestured for Bill to look under the floor. (There was a trapdoor that opened up to the dirt floor below.) Bill at this time had an intense fear of snakes, which were common then in the bushy surrounds of the house. They often made their nests under houses. Bill nevertheless tried to open the trapdoor with a screwdriver. As soon as Bill began, Baba clapped for Bill to stop, and from that moment onwards, Bill never again experienced a fear of snakes.
