(02/16/01)["Bette Midler retires."] I see Bette Midler walking across a lawn talking with people. I understand she is retiring now. I sit in a car, in the passenger side. Bette comes over, curious and gets in the driver's side. Perhaps I had signaled her to come over. She waits to see what I have to say. I tell her I loved her song "The Rose" the best. She says her too. I say my friend Lucy who has a beautiful singing voice sang it and I would harmonize with her. I would cry every time I sang it. I ask her if she will miss performing and singing. I'll bet she would. She smiles and I say quickly, but then maybe you just want to sit by the swim pool eating watermelon. She smiles and agrees that's all she wants to do now. It would give her great pleasure.