How did the author of the 'Sai Leela' describe his own character and intellect before understanding the Satguru's greatness?

The author provides a candid self-assessment of his former character in Chapter 2 while introducing the story of his naming as "Hemadpant." He describes himself as having been mischievous, talkative, cynical, and critical. He admits to being arrogant about his knowledge, stating he was always proud of his own wisdom. Furthermore, he confesses that he knew nothing of the Satguru's greatness, possessed a bad intellect, and had a logic-driven, argumentative mind, a trait that Sai Baba explicitly warns against as being a sign of ignorance and an obstacle to self-knowledge.