ensemble. Mickey Florsheim was the master of ceremonies and gave Baba a toy alligator that beat a drum; Ben Hayman gave him a big stuffed alligator. Then all the men sang "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands," which was rapidly becoming Baba's theme song! Harry Kenmore and Harold Rudd acted a joke; Lenny sang Rudd's original song "The Moment."

A lot of fun was made by the three "Viennese doctors." Dr. Pfunster presented "alligator bait, tender and unwilling"—Dana Field in baby costume pushed in a wheelbarrow by Mr. DeLong. There was an emergency operation on a man swollen with sanskaras (Max Häfliger*); when he was released, a balloon burst. Baba patted his checks and said, "I never laughed so much in this incarnation as I laughed today"

Dr. Ben Hayman was the hit of the show, sleeping quietly until his colleague Dr. Schmaltz (Mickey) blew a whistle to awaken him, and at once he attempted to tell a joke, but his colleagues prevented him. Baba said, “I hope my dear Ben does not get a stiff neck. I am very happy." At the sight of the three Viennese doctors, Dr. Florsheim, Dr. Chamberlain and Dr Ben, Baba covered his eyes with his hands. He enjoyed ringing his little alligator bell as "applause." A sign was given to Baba by the "producer," Mike Loftus, saying, "If you can keep a level head in this confusion, you just don't understand the situation." Then humorous stories were told from the floor by several "alligators." Charles Purdom told the one about the two monkeys who surveyed the complete devastation after atom bomb war III and said, "O dear, I guess we'll have to start all over again!" Baba enjoyed this. Baba said, "Let's have one more awakening from Ben." So Mickey blew the whistle again. Then came mass initiation into the Alligator Watchers' Club of all the men, who were seated up close to the "stage" (barn, stage and curtain were decorated with an assortment of colorful alligators cut from crepe paper or hand-painted by Anita Vieillard, Timmy de Buday and Fred Frey). Baba commented, "Today's performance is one of the few things I shall miss in my next incantation!” He embraced all the performers and helpers.

Suddenly, as he was about to leave the barn, Baba's mood changed. A look of infinite suffering came over his face, and his eyes were far away, intent. He remained in his chair, as all fell silent. When helped into his carrying chair, again he did not allow himself to be moved for some time.

*From Max Häfliger on 8-22-04: He was lying on the table with the balloon on his belly and the sheet over it. The doctor was trying to see what was the matter with him if he drank too much or had gas, etc. Diagnosis was they had to get rid of too much air in the belly. So he stabbed at it with a knife. When it popped they pulled the sanskaras out as a scarf. Baba then came over and also played the part of a doctor. Max looked up at His face to see that He was acting like a magician making surprised looks with his eyes at what he found and gesticulating over the body with His hands while acting like the perfect doctor and making it look funny. At the end, Baba made gestures like he was releasing something into the air. Max said he could feel he was really being operated on. He said Baba really got rid of something, he doesn’t know what it was. Then He went back and sat down. While the others then went in to eat, he felt sick, utterly exhausted and went to his cabin instead. -webmaster Jk