He smiled and motioned me to sit down beside him on his right. He took me by the left hand and then from time to time he patted my shoulder or stroked my arm.

It was as if an electric current of Pure Love was turned on which filled me with ecstasy. I began to breathe deeply, as if taking an anesthetic. Looking back on this, I am convinced that Baba meant me to feel his power. It was as if I had been baptized by him for his future work. The feeling in me was that I must serve him in some way. There were many things I should have liked to ask him but all questions seemed unnecessary and inadequate then and later I felt that many of them were answered without words. Towards the end of the interview a man came in dressed in a dark blue suit who sat down on the other side of Baba whom I felt instinctively was Meredith Starr. He looked at me and said kindly, “You are Quentin Tod." My impressions of him were not unpleasant.

On leaving I asked Baba's permission to visit him again, which he granted, and from that day on I went to see him every day.

My reaction to Baba was instantaneous and I recognized him for what he is ― a great Prophet and Teacher.

My subsequent visits were never so vivid or impressive as the first, but the flame which was kindled burnt within a steady glow. During these visits I gradually grew to know various people who were devoted to him. Faces came out of a haze and I remember Delia, who used to sit on the floor a lot, and Kim. There was a constant varet-vient and one really never got the quiet moment alone so much wished for. The only sentence of significance which Baba spelt out to me was, "In the future you will do great work for me." Days passed and at last Baba left with Chanji, Rustom, Ali and Meredith . . . Knowing what I know now it must have been a gloomy trip for Baba with Meredith so devoid of humor, lightness of touch and the lack of life. Their trip was to Greece, Turkey and Italy and from there they embarked on their first trip to America. Before leaving, Baba told me to write to him from time to time.

On this visit, which was private, there were no press interviews. Apart from seeing visitors and making plans for the American trip nine days hence, time did not allow for much else. One evening Baba went to a promenade classical concert at the Queens Hall. We sat through it — but it was too classical for Baba. In the interval I took him backstage to meet Sir Henry Wood, the conductor, who had expressed a wish to meet Baba. I also knew him personally as I was teaching his two young daughters piano at the time. It was a friendly meeting — but nothing more.