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

THE PERIOD OF WORLD TRAVEL 97guarantee on their behalf', said the immigration officer, who was offended at the interference. 'Idon't see any reason for your behaviour', said the ship's officer. 'I want you to permit them to landimmediately.'Irritated at his tone, the immigration officer retorted, 'But there is no one to guarantee whothey are'.'Well, they must have some references.'The members of the party explained that they had very good references.'There you are. They have references!' And then he said, 'If you still want a guarantee, I standguarantee'. The officer continued, 'I am just going, and I want you to finish the permits for themto land by then'. His commanding tone led the party to believe that he was someone ofimportance; anyhow, his words had immediate effect. The immigration officer sat down at histable, murmuring all the while, made out the landing cards, and they were permitted to go. Chanji,who told me the story, went in search of the officer who had helped them to thank him, but hesays that he could not be found, and who he was remains a mystery.Baba stayed in America for one month, three weeks at Harmon on the Hudson River and oneweek in New York City, paying a visit of one day to Boston. While at Harmon he went to theprison of Sing Sing; it was in the evening, and the car stopped outside the main entrance. Babasaid to those with him, 'I will show you how I work', and after a pause added, 'In this prison thereis a man who is my agent; he does good work for me; I shall free him when I speak.'He left America on the Bremen on 6 December, and arrived in Paris on the 11 th, leavingMarseilles for India on the 18th by the Narkunda. He arrived in Bombay on 2 January, where hewas met by a large number of devotees.Baba's method at the interviews in England and America was almost invariably the same withall who came to him. He would sit in a room with one or more of his Indian disciples with thealphabet board on his knees. A disciple would tell Baba the name of the person, whom Babawould then motion to sit near him. He would look at the visitor and smile. He would ask noquestions. Usually he touched the hand or caressed the arm of the visitor, saying on his board,which was read by the disciple, 'I like you and will help you'. If the visitor had nothing to say,which was frequently so, the interview would end in a minute or two with a smile from Baba. Ifthe visitor had any questions to ask, Baba would answer them on the board. Interviews seldomlasted more than from three to five minutes. Baba usually got up at six o' clock, had