When Jerry had entered mandali hall, his first impression of Baba was of how old he looked. "I had never seen any picture that came anywhere close to showing how old Baba looked to me," he later recalled. "He was 74, but looked well over 90."
Baba asked, "How old are you?"
"Twenty-four," Jerry said almost as a question.
"I am ageless!" Baba gestured.
Everyone laughed, and the serious atmosphere was transformed into a much lighter one.
Baba asked, "Now that you have heard my instructions, how will you go about following them? How will you implement them? How will you return home?"
Jerry answered that he thought of going to Bombay and trying to get a job on a ship bound for America.
"What about hitchhiking to Europe?" Baba suggested.
"If I don't get work on a ship, I may have to do that," Paulson replied.
Baba advised, "Go and try, and if that does not work out then try going to Europe. Do not stop anywhere along the way which is not instrumental in getting back to the United States. Whatever happens, take it as my will. Whether I put you in the army with soldiers, or if I put you with students or others — it is something you should not be concerned with. You should take it always as my will and obey me as I have instructed you. Whosoever you come in contact with is my will."
Baba started to say something about Rick Chapman, when one of the men mandali (who had been told to remind Baba when five minutes had expired) interrupted him.
Baba gestured, "Yes, Rick Chapman was here for a long time, too."
Baba laughed and indicated it was all right.
Only then did Jerry Paulson realize he had overstayed the five-minute limit by 20 minutes. Baba suggested that Jerry contact Rick when he returned.
"Make an attempt to see him."
Baba repeated, "Feel free to tell people of my message, but they are not to come here. There are people all over who are looking for me, but only a few who find me. Your energies now are to be directed toward seeing me as I really am."
Baba asked, "Are you happy?"
"Yes, Baba."
"One hundred percent?"
"Yes."
"Do you have any questions?"
Jerry had nothing heavy to ask, so innocently asked, referring to the Hamiltons, "Do you know Mik and Uschi?"