Perfect World [George Harrison]

[ FOUR ]

George re-read the single word Lola had sent him: everywhere.

No sign off, no hello. Just the word e v e r y w h e r e.

He stared at the word until it begun to blur. Not knowing who to turn to, he turned towards Paul. Paul was playing his guitar with John, the two of them trying to come up with a new song. George lifted the letter.

"Paul?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember I had to buy a German dictionary," George began.

Paul looked up, a pen on his lips. He put the pen down. "I think so, Lola sent you some German words."

"Not curse words," Ringo pointed out. "We know those."

"Leck mich," George said. George looked at the letter again, as though trying to figure out if the words were really there. "It means lick me."

Paul laughed. "Oh yeah, that's right."

"I asked her where," he said. John looked up then, as though the conversation had finally gained his attention. He seemed to process the words, then started to clap.

"What'd she say?" John asked.

"Everywhere," he told them. The room erupted into claps, and George got pats on the back. He fought a smile. He shouldn't be smiling about this, he probably even shouldn't have told them. John was immediately on his side, handing him the telephone.

"Go on, ring her," John insisted. George had already written Lola's number on the back of her most recent letter. He'd been trying to make himself call before he'd told them. He wondered then, as he wondered now, if it was a bit too straightforward.

He didn't want to make it seem as though he only wanted to sleep with her. He also liked her, more than he thought possible. He told them this, only to have John laugh.

"What's more straightforward than everywhere? Do you want it spelled out in letters for you? S E X?"

"I've written a letter like that before," Paul said.

"So have I," Ringo said. They all turned to look at him. Ringo scoffed, "What I can't have adventures too?"

"Alright," George said, giving in. He slowly dialed Lola's number, feeling the others watching him. The telephone rang, and rang. But there was no response. He let out a sigh, and dialed again, this time his hand slightly shaking.

There was ringing, and no response.

John insisted George was dialing the number incorrectly and took the phone away from him. He dialed the number, and got no response. Paul wanted to try calling too, but John stopped him, saying three calls were more than enough.

George called the next day, but there was no response. The day after that, the boys began to make fun of him. By the end of the week, George gave up on calling. He started wondering why she wouldn't answer, there were a lot of reasons, he decided. He decided it was best to wait for her to call, and went on with his life.

Paul and John decided George was pathetic when it came to love. They decided he was unable to do this single thing right, so they introduced him to a girl from the set. Her name was Pattie, and god, was she beautiful.