I had an uncle [Khodadad Masa] who had no mustache.1 No hair grew above his lip. He wished to have a fine mustache, and someone suggested that if he boiled a lizard in oil in a particular manner, and then applied the oil to his upper lip, in a few days hair would start to grow.
A lizard was caught. My uncle was in the process of dropping it in the boiling oil when I happened to visit him. I was ten years old then. I didn't like what he was doing, so I took the lizard out of the oil and threw it away. My uncle was furious. In a rage, he slapped me on the cheek. My father Sheriarji was a strong man. He saw my uncle slapping me and immediately came and gave him a tight slap. My uncle was aghast, but afterwards, there were no hard feelings between them.
Later, my uncle procured a teashop at Byculla [in Bombay]. He moved there, as he was the proprietor. After Babajan kissed me, I went to Bombay. Early in the morning I used to sit on a bench in a park. I used to sit alone for quite some time. Before starting his work in the teashop, my uncle used to come to me regularly. Holding my hand, he used to place it on his head. This was his routine. He loved me very much, and had full faith in me.
Once, I asked him: "Do you remember the day when you slapped me?" My uncle replied: "How in my life can I ever forget the slap of Sheriar?"
Really, my father was a very strong man. He loved me so much that he could not tolerate seeing me being slapped.
Baba ended by observing, "All of my close relatives and those who studied with me at school love me much."
Baba then retired to his room.
Baba came into the hall on Tuesday, 25 August 1959, after working with Kaikobad. The men assembled before him. For some time, Baba sat with his eyes closed. He stretched and rested his legs on the bamboo stool. A bed sheet was spread over his legs for warmth. After resting for some time in this position, Baba signaled for the men to go outside. He remained alone inside for several minutes and then clapped, and the men reentered.
Footnotes
- 1.Khodadad Irani was Baba's maternal aunt Banu's husband.