"LUCKY"

 
"Lucky" is a monkey ... I don't know where he is now, but I had the good fortune to 'mother' him during his significant stay in the Ashram on Meherabad Hill. This incident is hard to believe unless one realizes the effect. Meher Baba sent out a call for him, but then he described him merely as a monkey that would respond to him.

So, through all the four corners of India, friends and disciples were mobilized to detect such a promising creature, which, after we read the Divine Theme, we realize is part and parcel of it ... like any one of us.

Now, monkeys after monkeys were sent for and brought up the hill. As I had to carry them down the hill again it meant that none of them was as yet the one for which Baba sent out a call. And then, one day, most unexpectedly, a tiny case arrived down at the men's quarters, below the hill, from an unasked source, and in it was a small creature, no bigger than a baby squirrel with huge sparkling eyes and long eyelashes. The news was rushed up the hill to where Baba was at the time. His reaction was "spontaneous rejoicement."

At once, the following plan was set by Baba:...the men down the hill were to squat in a circle with Baba hiding himself in their midst, and at a given moment Baba was to give the sign for the cage to be opened. Should the monkey, without hesitation, jump into Baba's lap first, that would be the chosen one. The momentous order became fact. The monkey shot straight on to Baba's left arm, sitting right under his heart, and was given forth with the name of 'Lucky' amidst great enthusiasm of all present. What perfect instinct!

By chosen one, I understand the one whose evolutionary striving would be speeded through contact with the Master.

On the same afternoon of the momentous arrival of the monkey, Baba, followed by all the members of the Ashram, brought him up to me where I was temporary invalided by having strained a ligament on my right foot and therefore had to stay in bed in the upstairs dormitory under a mosquito net. Baba introduced me to 'Lucky' as his temporary mother with orders to look after him. But how lucky were we all because Baba would spend a playful half-hour upstairs with 'Lucky' and us.

During this period Baba would take 'Lucky' from me, hold him, caress him, let the monkey kiss his neck, hide under his jacket or in his pocket until he became too possessive and intolerant in wanting ever more of Baba's warmth and light, when Baba would come up to me and I would have to tear the monkey out of Baba's grasp. Of course, the monkey rather resented it, so our part-time life under the mosquito net became rather strained.

'Lucky' slept in a box at the head of my bed. I had to hear him snore at night and of an afternoon he insisted on sitting on the palm of my hand for his afternoon nap. At times, he would escape from under the net, then it was havoc. Tooth paste, powder boxes, fountain pens, belonging to others in the dormitory were squeezed open and thrown down.

Finally, an ingenious trick helped to bring him down from a high rafter near the ceiling. By arousing the jealousy of this most lovable creature, I put my arms around my neighbors' and administered loud, spectacular kisses which aroused his jealousy at once and down he jumped between us. Then I would catch him and put him back into his cage. These are just a few of the little difficulties encountered during Baba's 'doings and undoings' with 'Lucky.'

However, Baba continued coming and 'Lucky,' always feeling Baba's approach from afar, would become excited and shriek and call, but would find at once his heaven on earth when back in Baba's arms.

It would seem though, that this divine treatment through love could not last forever.

One day, 'Lucky' broke all discipline and escaped through the window on to the roof enjoying an illusionary freedom and when Baba called to him, by clapping his hands, he did not obey. When he did finally come down, Baba threw a stick between himself and 'Lucky' which apparently put an end to the episode. To us, it seemed as though Baba's work in close contact with 'Lucky' was temporarily finished.

Baba, some time later, sent 'Lucky' off to a new home to be taken good care of where he grows and prospers, in time, from his perfect instinct to some higher sense-perception.

Being 'part and parcel' of the Divine Theme which has one goal for all creation ... GOD, 'Lucky' has received, through this Divine adventure, his evolutionary push, due 'in time' to all, from the inarticulate form to the conscious-human form, that comes in contact with the God-man.