A true story from Antelope by Aruna.
We had a café, called Zorba the Buddha, in a tiny little town, Antelope. Visitors used to stop by to get refreshments and snacks before heading to Rajneeshpuram, the Ranch. Cowboys also used to come to our café for 6pck Budweiser or Copenhagen, and to fill up their thermoses with black coffee. The closest small town was Shaniko, which was even smaller than Antelope.
From that small town an Indian (native American) family used to come to our café every single day. We called the man ‘Chief’. He was quite BIG in size. He and his wife had 13 beautiful children.
I was the only Indian (from India) working in the café. Chief used to say to me that I was his Lost Child from before (?) and that he had now found me (!).
Despite their being poor, his wife used to make a special pickle at home and bring it for me – with so much love and gratitude.
Osho used to reach Antelope around 3pm for drive-by darshan. One afternoon Chief’s youngest boy, who was 4 years old at the time, stood all by himself in namaste position beside the road.
Seeing him, Osho stopped his car and blessed the boy. Osho had not seen that boy before, and later on he inquired about the boy.
We sent Osho all the details regarding Chief and his family. The next day Osho sent a message for Chief that he wanted to say “Hello,” and so would Chief please come and stand in front of the café at drive-by time.
Now, this was the BIG day for the BIG Chief! – and something for us to experience…
The waiting time felt longer than usual… Finally we saw Osho’s car coming closer… and… it stopped right at the spot where Chief was standing! Osho rolled down his window and said, “Chief, please come closer to me!” (Oh, my heart is throbbing!)
Chief started crying like a baby. He put his head through the window into Osho’s lap, with tears rolling down his cheeks. Osho’s robe got all wet. Osho kept smiling… Chief kept crying…!
Finally, Osho spoke: “Chief, why don’t you come and see me at my house?” And Chief replied, “Your people do not allow me to come, because I am poor and my clothes are dirty. Plus your guards are so strict!” And Osho said, “Why don’t you come in the back door? Then nobody will know.”
Again Chief started crying… Osho got a robe out of the car and gave it to the Chief and told him to keep this gift with him all the time. (I felt this was Krishna and Sudama’s meeting happening again.)
Osho winked at me – and drove away!
The next day Osho sent a message to give ten thousand dollars to Chief so that he could start a poultry farm. Money was to be given to buy them a new trailer home, too.
The images are stills from a video taken earlier on the occasion of Osho’s visit to Zorba the Buddha Café in Antelope
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