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Upon arriving at the Delhi airport, the Harrisons and Lennons had gone their separate ways. George and Pattie were off to Madras in southern India to spend some time with Ravi Shankar, while John and Cynthia caught a night flight back to London.
John, it seems, had reached a decision that it was time to end things with Cynthia. But he didn’t do it the classy way, by explaining what he was feeling and why he was feeling that way. Instead, he got wasted on scotch and Coke and gave Cynthia a detailed accounting of all his infidelities over the years — of which there were many. He may even have made some up for effect.
Whether this was a conscious plan on John’s part or a drunken outpouring of emotion, it ended up being a classically passive/aggressive way for him to drive Cynthia away without having to actually say, “I want a divorce.” But Cynthia didn’t take the bait; she held on for a couple more weeks. Ultimately, though, she had no chance. In Rishikesh John had written the song “I’m So Tired,” which contained the line “My mind is set on you” — the “you” in question being you-know-who.
Imagine sitting there in first class trying to catch some Z’s as Cynthia cries and carries on and John throws back one cocktail after another while listing every woman he’s fucked.1 I bet you’d have some weird dreams after that.