Return of the Thirsty Stranger

Another hot afternoon and it looks like El Nino is here to stay. I had heard the nuns talking about this phenomenon which dramatically affects the weather worldwide and they have been going around fanning themselves and drinking endless cups of water.


Well, a cat has to look after itself too and I often go out into Head Nun's garden and sit under the plants and bushes. It's so much cooler there. One such afternoon, I was almost dozing off when I heard a rustle of leaves. I looked up and there she was .... the thirsty stranger whom I encountered some weeks ago. My first instinct was to run and hide in the kitchen but she had already seen me and I had no choice but to remain where I was.


"How are you, Da?" she purred. This time I was determined not to make a fool of myself. I gathered my wits together and replied, "Fine and how are you?"


She said she was passing by the temple and thought she would drop in and say hello. Then I heard another rustle and a little kitten, same colour as she, came crashing through the plants.


"Oh, this is Shanti, my daughter," she said with a proud smile. Daughter? Oh great, she's married. I relaxed a little. "I brought her to see you," she continued, "and by the way, my name is Om."


What a great name, I thought. I invited them into the kitchen and gave them a little water to drink.


Om said she lived in an Indian home and at present her mistress and children were away in India. Om's husband, Hari, was guarding the house in their absence.


I asked what I could do for her. She said nothing really, she wanted to give me a little gift for the kindness I showed her the other day. She produced a small
photograph and said her mistress had given it to her when she was last in India.


I gazed at the fuzzy haired man in the photograph. He seemed to look back at me with his piercing eyes. One hand was raised in blessing. I felt a strong, powerful surge of energy just looking at the photo, it was like a tonic for body and soul.


Om said that he was a great teacher presently living in India and that he had miraculous powers. Her mistress and family are his devotees and look upon him as God incarnate. I was fascinated. Didn't Head Nun mention him before?


Om told me to keep the photo carefully and then left with her daughter.


And that was my first introduction to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.