THE GOD-MAN The Life, Journeys and Work of Meher Baba with an ...

340 THE GOD-MANAfterwards, Baba was driven to the beach as all walked or drove there separately. The gate to the beachwas locked, but the chain on it was broken by the men before Baba arrived. A small incident then tookplace, for he called for me to leave the car in which I was travelling to come into his car and sit by him. Insome way I got my left thumb caught in the door. Baba immediately stopped the car and ice was sent for.Meanwhile everyone crowded about the car, and Baba said, 'Because of Charles, you will have more thanfive minutes of my presence.' He had originally said he would come to the beach for five minutes. At thebeach he was carried in his chair to the water's edge where he removed his sandals and dipped his feet inthe sea. When he was driven back to the Lagoon Cabin, he asked me to sit by him and I told him that I hadalways said it was dangerous to be near Baba! I did not see him again on this occasion.On Friday 30 May, Baba left his house as the dawn was breaking. The main party had gone ahead toWilmington in three buses. When they met him at the airport, he embraced one person and gestured to say,'Don't tell anyone you embraced me this morning!' He asked one and another how they slept, or how theywere returning home. A few people were late and explained to Baba why; he said: 'I am in you all. But Ican only enter your heart when you have driven out everything else. But I feel shy, I do not enter yourheart if I find there the slightest impurity.' At one point, he tapped his right leg, then his left, then his rightagain.The plane left for Washington, where a change was made for Los Angeles, then to San Francisco,whence Baba and his mandali were to fly the next day to Australia.The party reached Australia on 2 June and went immediately to Woombye in Queensland, about seventymiles north of Brisbane, where about eight acres on Kiel Mountain had been bought and offered to Baba.Under the direction of Francis Brabazon a number of helpers had moved the original wooden farmhouselower down the hill to be used for the women's quarters, and had built a new house on the old site for Babaand the four mandali, also a meeting hall, and had constructed new roads. It was a beautiful place withlovely views. The men guests were accommodated in tents. More than fifty people from Victoria, NewSouth Wales, and Queensland, had arrived by Monday, and on the following morning Baba and hismandali were received by the company. They met at once in the meeting hall where Baba said they wouldspend three hours each morning and evening with him. He asked about the centre and was told that it washis