On the return journey we picked up a Mast (God-Mad) who babbles to himself all the time. Everything is "Shariat"* this and "Shariat" that. He has 9 lakhs** of wives, some lakhs of children, all in "Shariat." So Baba has named him Shariat Khan. He called Baba King of the World. Plenty of larks with Baba, the last day at Hassan, He teasing all of us in turn; good fun. We got back yesterday, after a pleasant drive home again. Baba rather tired, and He seemed peeved when He found Dr. Ghani asleep at 2:15 p.m.

4/2/40    Have just returned from Madras where I stayed 8 days with Aiyangar in his house at Saidapet, visited several hospitals, seeing cases of leprosy, venereal, eyes, etc. I also saw others like one of our Masts, with anemia and edema of legs, and ascitis, curable with iron only in large doses. This is rapidly curing our Mast too. Baba spends most of His time in His new hut in the garden at the "Links." He looks well, and rather mysterious yesterday, His eyes dark pools, beautiful to look at. He is in a preoccupied mood and started teasing Nilu, making him rather upset, about his love of food, and that neither he nor I cure anyone. He gave Nilu a brick and told him jokingly to eat it. Often when Nilu and I are called to Baba about some sick person, Baba gives me some fruit, say a banana, and gives Nilu the skin; or someone else in the room, all as a joke for all. There’s no doubt, Baba can be very irritating at times, pretending not to hear what one says, or teasing one about nothing rather unjustly, but all of it because He wants to try to upset us, for His own reasons of course. These little games of moods which He plays with us all are really very funny, when done to someone else. He makes one look such a fool, but when done on oneself, it is not such a joke of course. But everyone gets their turn. But it makes Baba all the more loveable; His moods change so fast from one individual to the other, and from one instant to another, and as times goes on one gets a sort of solid feeling of His greatness in all things, which grows on one day by day and binds one faster to Him. There has been a bit of a dustup because Col. Irani came down while I was in Madras and gave 2 anti-Baba lectures, very sarcastic and stupid, and really rather a flop.

The building supervision people, Padri, Pendu, and Nairoji*** are at the site now living there in the temporary house. Masa is cooking for them. They come back on Sundays and so are here today.

10/2/40    Baba very chirpy these days, teasing people in a light-handed manner. Yesterday I went over about hospital affairs to see Him in His hut, and He was hitting us all in a light-hearted sort of way, with a long heavy pencil, over the ear, at the back of the neck, on the hand, or anywhere He could reach. He also played catch with me with a sweet lime, and when I asked for a special book on surgery, costing about 35 Rs, He made me give Vishnu a promissory note for Rs. 135 in March, so I must write to my bank for a new cheque book.

On Sunday, Padri and the others, came back from the site with news of a big fight with the contractors there. They are trying to use bad stuff, and Nairoji won't let them do it; so they are losing money. Baba says the quarrel must be settled as follows: "Make it, break it, but don't shake it." He also says He is sure we will only shake it. So the work may be slowed up a bit. As it is, the drainage pump scheme and tank have been postponed till May.

* "Everything is the will of God", added by webmaster JK.

** hundred-thousand-webmaster JK

***He is Chanji's brother. His name is spelled Naoroji in Lord Meher-webmaster JK.