The death of Michel Côté hit me hard. We weren’t together, but we were part of the same mafia. Blueberry power. He was from Alma, I’m from Falardeau.
Sometimes we were at the end of a project. At some point, during a season of Lance et compte, perhaps La reconquete, Marc Messier was completely overwhelmed. I either rewrote all the lyrics by killing Marc Gagnon in the first scene or we found another actor. I thought that Michel Côté could play the role of his friend Messier. I sent him the ten scenarios. He reminded me: “Listen Marc Gagnon, it’s Marc Messier, there’s no other way. The lyrics are strong but they are for Marc. We’re playing Broue in Rimouski on Friday, I’ll try to convince him,” said Michel.
Messier called back on Saturday. Eventually, he would make it by cutting his sleep, his tennis game, his hockey game, and everything else from his busy schedule.
So much so that he was the one who acted out the final scene of Lance, counting by scattering his beloved Suzie’s ashes.
Thanks Michel, I owe you a lot.
