FURTIVE INTIMATE EXCHANGES

 
Jeanne was somehow distracted by seeing Baba in those Western winter clothes and did not have the same wonderful reaction I had when meeting him. As we parted, with Baba and Norina walking toward the elevator, and Jeanne and I walking toward some chairs in the hotel lobby, Jeanne was irresistibly impelled to turn, in order to get another glimpse of him.

To her surprise, just as she turned, Baba, whose back was to us, also turned and, looking directly at her, folded his hands and bowed slightly to her. Jeanne turned quickly away, feeling that she had been caught trying to sneak a look at him, but then she could not resist turning twice more to look at him.

Each time, Baba also turned as she was turning, folded his hands and bowed to her. As a result of these rather furtive intimate exchanges, with Baba responding to her as he did, Jeanne realized that Baba was, indeed, an exceptional being.