"Of course," was her answer: and yes was Baba's answer, with a rider — I had to help get the house ready! I shook in every limb, because although my mother was the original "Good Housekeeping" expert — I was just the opposite. Plus I had a regular job in the city, and Scarsdale was half an hour out.

Of course everyone helped, but I had to hire a cook and a maid who could adapt to all the odd-hour needs of Baba and the mandali, some of whom were still ill. I had to acquire extra beds, linens, dishes, fans and what not. Somehow it was done — and there on July 15, we were waiting for Baba to arrive — Mrs. Ferris on the front porch with the key in her hand. She would not let me run to greet the car ; "That's personal love." she said. But I slipped to the back, where Baba's car came in just as I expected. Just before it came, I felt this tender breeze of love through the heart . . . like a wind foretelling Baba's presence.

It was heart-rending to see Him lying in the back of the car, His right* leg and His right* arm in casts. Adi and Meherjee were unpacking the wheelchair from the trunk. I took His hand wordlessly, then He gestured to me lovingly, "Don't be despondent!" Again, when I saw Him in the wheel-chair, my heart gave another thump. But He waved my grief away. As He had said in Myrtle Beach, "God is always light hearted, even when crucified."

Kate was summoned from the front door and Baba graciously accepted the key. I had a bad moment when the mandali had decided the bed I had chosen for Baba wasn't right; they took another and bolstered it up with boards and so on to make it comfortable. I always regretted I hadn't thought to order a hospital bed.

Later, Baba and the women mandali were out in the garden. No one overlooked the garden, for Mrs. Ferris said all of her three neighbors had "unexpectedly" taken off on vacation. Baba was smiling. I studied His face. It was not the same as before the accident. Baba's nose was broken, and several teeth knocked out. But He was beautiful nevertheless. He started to tell the story of the accident. On His board, He gestured, "America was after my blood for a long time." Yes, He said it twice, with a smile, as if everything had gone just as He wished.

I was allowed to pick up His chaise lounge and wheel it around. It seemed at first touch, incredibly heavy. I thought I could never lift it. But this was an occult experience, Baba wanted to make me feel how He was the Christ, bearing the suffering of the world.

Just then Baba gestured, "The Winterfeldts!" Sure enough, a few moments later they drove in the yard. It was the first time, too, they had seen Baba since His "accident." "Baba," Fred said, looking at Him, "Did it have to be?" "Yes," Baba gestured, "So it ever was, and so it ever shall be!" They fell at His feet. Baba gestured to them, too, to be cheerful.

I had brought another pair of shoes, blue sneakers! Baba put on the right shoe, then signaled, I should keep them! Yes, the size 7 did fit me, but I never wore them. Somehow I felt Baba meant I was not ready yet for the Path because He wouldn't wear the shoes. Now, I see it — Baba just didn't like sneakers!

It was this afternoon, too, when He put His forefinger and thumb together in a circle of approval and called me His 102° lover! But any praise from Baba is only something to live up to! Also, I like to recall what Charmy said, "If Baba treats you kindly, you know you're in the kindergarten!"

*In Lordmeher.org page 5310 it says that in the May 24, 1952 accident in Prague, Oklahoma His entire left side was injured, not the right side as it is mistakenly written in this Awakener. His entire right side was injured in the next accident in Satara, December 1956. — webmaster