Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
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Trying to evade the issue to protect Donkin, Stevens replied, "I don't know, Baba, just a little bit of a rash."
Baba pried further and soon found out about the incident.
"But where was Don?" Baba asked, raising his hands in dismay.
Again, Stevens tried to be evasive. But, soon after, he had to admit that they had gotten separated.
Baba was even more upset.
"Go fetch Don," he gestured angrily.
Furious, Baba asked Don for all the details. He was extremely annoyed and lashed out at Don for his carelessness. This was one of the first times Don Stevens had seen Baba take anyone to task so severely, and perhaps this was the reason Baba had brought about the entire episode. "I wanted to crawl right underneath my cushion and disappear," Stevens related. "I liked Donkin very much and hated to see him being raked over the coals for my own carelessness. I felt sick at heart."
In the afternoon Baba came to the hall again. While discussing matters with the mandali, Baba looked at Don Stevens, who realized he was again scratching away at his hand. Red splotches now appeared on his arm. Baba asked Eruch to bring some medicinal powder, which Eruch brought and applied. The powder did stop the itching to some extent but not the spreading; for when Stevens woke up the next morning, the rash had spread all over his arms and down one leg.
In the hall, Baba called him to come near and examined the skin on his hands and arms.
Baba motioned him to sit back down, remarking, "Eruch, your powder does not seem to be doing much good."
After a few minutes, Baba reached over to the small side table next to his chair, unfolded a fresh linen handkerchief and wiped his brow. He beckoned to Don Stevens to come over and then placed the white handkerchief in his hands. The discussion continued. When the session ended, Stevens realized that he had not been scratching and knew Baba had alleviated his discomfort through the gift of his kerchief.
Mani was concerned that the film of Baba playing the drum might not have come out due to the low evening light, so she "conspired" with Mehera and the others to get Baba to sit outside again so that Don Stevens could take some more shots. Baba came with the drum at 4:00 P.M. on 21 February, "looking a bit like a lamb being led to the slaughter," Don recalled.