On Sunday January 8th I had the pleasure of having afternoon tea with hide’s mum in the garden of their family home. It was, to say the least, a somewhat surreal experience…and a most unexpected one!
A fellow X fan and myself made a visit to hide’s grave, one of my many visits over the past few years. As usual the grave was looking so very beautiful…colourful, fun and well-maintained.
Heading back to hide’s hometown of Yokosuka and we set of to Yajima Records where I have, in the past, dropped quite a lot of yen and where hide, as a student, frequented. We looked around there and were encouraged by the owner to go and drop in to the Matsumoto’s (as he thrust a map in my hand). I had passed the family home on several occasions before but only to look and never to drop in. I insisted that it would be rude and disrespectful, he insisted otherwise. As we wanted to see the house, but were not expecting anything but a peek, we set out in that direction.
Much to our amazement, when we arrived, there was hide’s mum in the garden. She kindly invited us in, asked us to sign the book in the post box and sat us down on the garden seats. Yes, there we were, with hide’s mum. Unbelievable.
Next thing we knew she gave us a hide towel each as a gift. She was very talkative and friendly. We talked about all kinds of things. She then said she’d make us tea and left us for a while as she prepared it. I think I was in a daze by this stage.
Anyway, she took a while inside, finally coming out with a big pot of tea in a yellow teapot with red hearts over it (like his guitar). She had a cup in the same design, we beautiful Noritake cups and saucers (I collect China so I was thrilled to be offered tea in such a beautiful cup and saucer by none other than hide’s mum!). She told us that she preferred Lady Grey to Earl Grey. I now have a taste for Lady Grey!
We continued chatting. I could feel her loneliness and sadness over hide. It is only natural, even after all this time. Speaking with her soothed my spirit. She answered some questions I wanted to ask about hide for a long time. One question was about the kind of work her and hide’s father did when he was a child (they ran a kind of snack bar) and whether or not hide could speak English or not (she said he could to some degree).
While chatting she pulled out a phone strap each for us…a hide doll in his blue checked suit, with the aforementioned yellow/red heart guitar and big pink hair. Very cute. She had also given me a “kairo”, a heat pack to keep warm on such a cold day.
I asked if we could have a photo together but, while being very apologetic, said that she had made a promise to hide not to take photos with fans. Although he appreciated her kindness to fans he clearly worried that it could become too much. Of course I understood this. I will always have the memory and that’s what counts most.
On leaving she insisted we take all the snacks she had brought out, filling our bags with all kinds of goodies.
It was an encounter that I will never forget…a chance meeting in that we were passing just at the right time.
Thank you hide and thank you hide’s mum. This meeting helped to lift me somewhat out of a very tough time I am having.
And, thank you to my new friend who I was with that day. You know who you are
Katrina (Tanabata)
thank you my friend
trust me
I loved it very
you realize a dream of many people
thank You Tanabata
