George Harrison unfortunately left us too soon at the age of 58 back in 2001, victim of lung cancer. His friend and Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney (78) said in an interview with NPR that he still “talks” with Harrison through a tree the guitarist gave him and is planted at his house.
Paul McCartney talks about the tree that George Harrison gave him:
“George was very into horticulture, a really good gardener. So he gave me a tree as a present: It’s a big fir tree, and it’s by my gate. As I was leaving my house this morning, I get out of the car, close the gate and look up at the tree and say, “Hi, George.”
“There he is, growing strongly. And you know, that takes me back to the time when I hitchhiked with him! They’re an ever-present presence, if that’s a way to say.”
Interviewer: I love the idea that they are like family: As the years go past, the things that annoy you and get on your nerves, it fades, and you’re able to remember the good times and the laughter and the conspiratorial grins. And I love the tree, that’s a great thing — that it greets you when you come in.
“It’s lovely. He gave it to me, so I just planted it. But then, as the years go by, every time I look at it I go, “That’s the tree George gave me.” George has entered that tree for me. I hope he’s happy with that.”
In a recent interview with The New York Times Paul recalled his last conversation with George Harrison:
“We said silly things. We were in New York before he went to Los Angeles to die, and they were silly but important to me. And, I think, important to him. We were sitting there, and I was holding his hand, and it occurred to me — I’ve never told this — I don’t want to hold George’s hand. You don’t hold your mate’s hands.”
“I mean, we didn’t anyway. And I remember he was getting a bit annoyed at having to travel all the time — chasing a cure. He’d gone to Geneva to see what they could do. Then he came to a special clinic in New York to see what they could do. Then the thought was to go to L.A. and see what they could do. He was sort of getting a bit, “Can’t we just stay in one place?”