John loved George, and George loved John. Their friendship was a very special one. John was always concerned about George's songs not getting just treatment. It's a famous story how John insisted on breaking the tradition and making "Something" the first original Beatles single that was not Lennon-McCartney. George remembered. Since John's passing, George, Olivia and Dhani sent Sean and I beautiful exotic flowers of Hawaii every Christmas.

George was so many things to the world: He was an innovative guitar player, a songwriter with words of wisdom and a man who introduced Eastern philosophy and music to the West. But in his private life, he was a man of wit and humor who made his friends laugh.

George had a green thumb, too. He made things grow, like what they say Indian music does. Well, George did it, and in style. He single-handedly created a huge and beautiful garden in his estate, which he designed and tended to daily. I'll never forget how proudly he took me around the garden one day, in his muddy rubber boots and an old hoe in his hand, checking each tree and flower as if they were his children and, at the same time, caring for the steps I took. That's the George I will always remember: a man in his garden smiling warmly to me like some Indian guru.

I received a call at three o'clock in the morning from Olivia. I immediately knew what it was about. It reminded me of the calls I made when John passed away. It also reminded me of the sense of propriety and responsibility all of us Beatle women quietly shared.

Olivia is an intelligent and strong woman. But that doesn't mean that she can take an enormous parting such as this. There are things you can never take, no matter how strong you are. I hope the world will be kind to her and Dhani. At twenty-three, Dhani is already a highly intelligent and strong member of the Harrisons and the family of the Beatles - a family of a rock band, which once lost John and now George.

Mim Udovitch and David Wild
(RS 887-Jan. 17, 2002)