Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
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I went running into his arms and burst into tears. It was the first time in my life that I felt that I had a home. I had never felt so completely safe, so completely loved and so completely protected in my life. I had always thought that I had brought myself up from a little child, done everything on my own; but at that moment, I realized that it had always been him — that he was mother, father, everything. There was nothing else to look for. I had found it all.
When Ann stepped back from Baba's embrace, she was stunned to see that Baba too appeared to be crying. She stood looking at him for a moment and Baba nodded.
"Do you have any questions?" he asked.
"No, Baba," she whispered, thinking: "Anything Baba wants me to know he will tell me. I won't have to ask."
Mehera, Mani and the other women had been watching Ann's meeting from behind the louvered doors. Baba called them out and introduced them. For the next fifteen minutes or so, Baba asked about her health, whether she had slept and other mundane questions.
He then asked Ann to sit at his feet and inquired, "Did you read the Family Letter ?"
Ann thought: "Uh oh, he is going to throw me out and tell me I should not have come. But I don't care. All I wanted was to see Baba's eyes and I have done that."
"Yes, Baba, I read it," she answered.
"What did it say?"
"It said people should not come great distances or at great expense."
"You came anyway?"
"Yes, Baba."
"It is all right. I am glad you came in spite of the letter. What are you going to do when you leave here this afternoon?"
Ann said, "I was planning on going home on the Air India flight tonight from Bombay at 1:00 A.M., but they tell me I can't make it. There is not sufficient time. But I'll try."
"No, no, you can't make it," Baba motioned. "So what will you do? There is not another flight for five days. No sightseeing!"
"No, Baba. I guess I will just sit in the hotel and wait for the plane."
Baba stated, "No, come here every day for five days and sit with me until the plane goes. What will your office think of that?"