Farewell, Leonard Cohen.
Spoke to my mum tonight. After the usual, 'hello' and 'how are you?' was finished, the topic changed. 'You have heard the news then?' she said. 'which, in particular?' I replied. Knowing that of late we have not been short of news, however depressing. 'About Leonard Cohen. He died today. He was 82!' 'Yes, I heard.' I said. And I related the story that I literally did hear. This morning I had had a lie in. It's Friday. I know I the traffic is easier so I can leave later. I woke up, not to my alarm but my wife's. It is set to the R4 today programme. I don't hear it often. It is invariably spoken news. Not today. As I explained to my mum. I had woken up hearing Leonard Cohen singing, 'Suzanne'. I have heard this song a thousand times. I utterly adore this song. I also, instantly, knew that it meant that Leonard Cohen had died. Just by hearing the song I knew. I didn't need to hear the newscaster explain i