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gopis still in strict seclusion. With them, Baba put Elizabeth, Norina Rano and myself.

 

I was not successful in finding, even with the help of Gita, Norina's sister, just what Baba wanted in Cannes, and the morning after our arrival in late afternoon, Baba had Norina start searching anew. Thanks to Norina and her way of "pulling strings," the ideal house was found but she had to work hard, with Baba helping "behind the scenes" of course.

 

One sad thought comes to mind, never to be wiped out. Due to some miscalculation in timing, I was not at the station in Cannes to meet the party arriving from Marseilles. The two big buses, yes, but not me. I can never forget the look of disappointment on Baba's face when I did arrive at the house (after rushing to the station to meet the train and finding no one there!). And then on top of this, to find one of the houses was not what Baba wanted! Well, that is just one of those things — but one of those things that should never have happened. Imagine, all of you, Baba and party arriving in a foreign country and finding only a French speaking porter on the platform!

 

The closing of Nasik Ashram in June 1937 did not end our stay with Baba, for with one or two exceptions all were recalled immediately to Cannes to be with Baba during his stay there — August to October, 1937.

 

I will close the Nasik period with the farewell letter I wrote on behalf of all the English Group in July, 1937, for the Meher Gazette, published at that time in India:

 

"It will be a surprise to many readers of the Meher Gazette, especially to those who read the previous article, just two months back—in which it was stated that we were expecting to stay at Nasik Retreat for five years — to be reading now, 'Our Farewell' to Nasik.

 

"I am writing this on board the P. & O. boat Rawalpindi, the identical ship that brought the English group out to India just six months ago.

 

"This sudden change of plan will astound the outside world, but not Meher Baba's close disciples who know his way of working. Just so soon as the work has been done in one particular spot — bang goes the hammer — the building is dissolved. The work and planning of previous months all go to the wind and a fresh plan is started in fresh surroundings. Baba does not say this is so in so many words. But we in the midst of it, feel this is so. It is an illusion anyway, so why become attached to it? What does it all matter?

 

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