Remembering André Guindon

André Guindon’s commemoration service today, at the Coopérative funéraire de l’Outaouais, on boulevard Maloney Est, in Gatineau. I was pretty much out of sorts all day – I think this one hit me harder because it was so unexpected – so I struggled to get anything done. And when I got back, I struggled to do anything else.
 
It’s all a bit of a shock, I think, still. A couple of weeks ago, we were having lunch and I was taking the piss out of his “drug dealing” approach to his sculpture. He took me to the back of his car, opened the boot, and took out his beautiful work of art. I’ll miss the monthly lunches, the conversations, the erudition, the friendship, the confidences… I’ll miss his tips on Québec literature, a genre about which I have been shamefully ignorant for the longest time. On the day I got back from Portugal, I got a copy of Réjean Ducharme’s L’avalée des avalés, which he had recommended for me during that last lunch; he’d given me a potted history of Ducharme’s fascinating life and his work… you cannot replace friendships like that.
 
The event itself was really nice. It was essentially a series of short reminiscences from his three daughters, grandchildren, and surviving brother. It was all dovetailed in with music from an excellent cellist and harpist. His sculpture was front and centre, too. What really came across was how much of a decent man he was. His patience and kindness were mentioned by all – ideal qualities for a sculptor too, well, at least patience is. I’ll really miss him.
 
Had a brief catch up with my former boss and friend Renée. We made all the right noises about how it shouldn’t just be at funerals that we catch up… hopefully, we will do something about it. Ottawacker Jr. enjoyed his day off for a PD day.