Hey,
that's no way to say
goodbye
Written by Hiro
You know my love goes with you as your love stays with me,
it's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea,
--- Leonard Cohen ---
***
In April 2026, I received a text message from Danielle.
"Dearest Hiro.
I wanted to let you know my time is drawing closer. My health is very poor and my quality of life is deteriorating every day.
I wanted to thank you for your friendship and support and for looking after me so well over all these years. You have been a special person in my life.
John will let you know the details once I have gone.
Much love
D"
She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer about a year ago. She didn't ask me to cut her hair off. It was so aggressive that by the time I saw her in the salon after the diagnosis, there wasn't much hair left. I trimmed it just around her ears.
I can't remember exactly when I started cutting her hair. It was my early days at a salon in Ivanhoe. Close to 20 years, maybe.
She was a regular Saturday afternoon client.
She had thick, dark, straight hair and I cut it at jawline bob. Quite often, when I was cutting her hair, Paige, a young stylist, stopped by me, studied the way I slightly graduated her bob and paid a compliment by saying "Wow, that's beautiful hair".
I winked at Danielle in the mirror. She smiled back at me.
If you happened to walk past her, I'm certain you would have turned around and had another look at her. Her bob had such a, dare I say, presence.
Just a week later, I got a message from her husband John.
Again, thanking me for looking after her hair for so long.
I refrain from writing his words here, it's so painful and I don't think it's appropriate for me to do. He mentioned that it was her decision to go.
Here in Victoria, the government passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act in 2017.
I felt a tremendous sense of sadness but at the same time, very relieved that she was able to choose what she had thought the best way to live her life, although it meant to end it.
***
Her memorial service was planned a month later but unfortunately I wasn't able to attend due to a prior commitment.
Still, I wanted to do something, so I decided to write a letter addressed to her family and give my painting as a gift.
The difficulty was to choose which painting would be appropriate for that occasion.
Then, I thought about Leonard Cohen's song. One of my all time favourites, particularly his live performance in London 2008.
I remember a line that says something about a shoreline and sea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gx6s1ARfOk
Suddenly it occurred to me that I had a small painting I did in Portarlington. It took me a while to actually find it in a box. I double-checked it on my phone. It was painted in October 2023.
I took the letter and the painting to the organiser in High Street, Preston a week before the memorial.
***
A couple days after the memorial, I received a message from John thanking me for the gift. I returned the message and told him about the painting.
Immediately he came back to me saying,
"I'm not sure if you're aware of this, Hiro, but, when our kids were little, Danielle and I, all my family used to spend every summer holiday in Portarlington. It's a very special place for us all.
She loved there."
***
In Loving Memory of Danielle
For more than a decade, every 10 weeks, you came to the salon for a haircut.
As I often run behind, you spent some time waiting for me while engaging in knitting.
I was amazed to see how quickly your hands moved, creating wonderful patterns.
As I came to you, I wondered if you actually needed a haircut. Your hair ALWAYS looked beautiful.
"I come to see you for a chat, Hiro", you used to quip.
We laughed a lot about small things in life. You had a great sense of humour. Also, you were very into art, particularly Italian Renaissance paintings.
And, you always talked about your gorgeous family, showing me photos on the phone.
You were very proud of them.
These are some of the fondest memories I treasure.
R.I.P.
Hiro
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