Gino has been in a relationship for almost 40 years. A couple that lasts and “endures” itself, as he says, anything but perfect, and above all very proud of it. Interview.
“We are an imperfect couple, full of contradictions, but a couple knowing what one has brought to the other over the course of events, whether professional or otherwise. It deserves respect,” he wrote to us earlier this year. Of course, this piqued our curiosity.
The colorful septuagenarian is waiting for us at the Jean-Talon market, far from his wife’s ears, he explains with bright eyes. No, she is not aware of the interview. And we will understand later why.
It must be said that the man, seated in front of a cup of coffee, confides with obvious pleasure. He begins with his first emotions, around 16 years old, certainly awkward. “A jackhammer, a little!” he says, laughing heartily.
At the time, he was both shy and cute. “I’m going to sound awfully pretentious to you, but I’ve known for a long time that I’m attractive. But I’m a real flirt quiche! ” A quiche ? ” Yes ! I do not know what to do ! »
He chained a few love affairs here (“looks that meet, it works or not”), until his 20s, when he met the mother of his children.
In bed ? “In bed, it was fine!” »
Experience comes later. Their story only lasts a short time and, around the age of 30, Gino separates, moves and finally arrives in Montreal.
And then ? “Here, the girls are much freer. If they don’t know what they don’t want, they know what they want. It’s very clear. “Oh? Let’s say that for 10 years, Gino happily takes advantage of it. He enjoys his celibacy without embarrassment and no longer counts one-night stands. Always “consented”, he takes care to specify. “But be kind enough not to say a number.” »
We guess that he has learned to flirt, age, confidence and humor helping (probably also his little accent), and that he is accosted just as much. “I worked as a waiter,” he confirms. I was like a fox in a chicken coop! A look here, another there, and you were done. An example ? He still remembers a couple who actually invited him to “have dessert” with them. At their home. “Monsieur offered me his lady!” “, elegantly sums up our man. And then ? ” Extraordinary ! The guy was watching us! »
So goes his life until one particular day. Here, quite proud, Gino gets up and downright mimes the scene. “I see her,” he declares solemnly. Literally: it is her. »
Who ? His current girlfriend. He’s in a cafe, and there she is, just a few feet away. “She’s nothing special, it’s strange, I don’t know if you’ve ever felt that?” he asks, suddenly more familiar. “Ah, that’s none of my business! we giggle in unison.
In short, in this cafe, that day, he meets the one who will become his “wife”, his famous “imperfect” couple who deserve “respect”. He tells us the story of their conversation, their first phone call, then the first night. So, let’s talk about it! “Not terrible,” he replies, to our infinite surprise. Not terrible ? Gino explains himself quite naturally. “Once you got to know all these girls, in their approach, their kindness, you figured it out, in the end, it’s always a bit the same,” he reasons.
But what, exactly, isn’t the “best move”, dare we ask? A certain lack of enthusiasm, explains Gino, this feeling that she is “looking forward to it being over”. But that strangely doesn’t seem to bother him so much. “I felt something other than that,” he says.
What ? It’s that their love is less “sexual” than “relational,” he explains. “And I’m in love enough to say thank you to her for who she is, thank you for taking me where she takes me relationally. »
If you want to know everything, no, they never exactly talked about it. “She doesn’t like discussing it, she’s terribly embarrassed,” he slips. Hence his visit here without his knowledge, we understand. “And me, I was satisfied with what she proposed without forcing anything, and I always adopted a gallant attitude. »
All right. Still, after all these crazy years, isn’t he a bit frustrated? ” Not at all ! “, he replies with a smile.
It is that their union made them travel, Madame having been called to the four corners of the world for her job. Gino dropped everything to accompany him. “Tell you how much I loved him. And I still love it! […] What is the most important thing in my life? I chose the relationship with this woman. »
Like what, no, it’s not just sex in life. ” Absolutely not. That’s why it’s been going on for 40 years. […] I’m not saying it’s all rosy, he says, but we remember everything we did for each other. »
End of the story ? “I admit that on the sexual side, it’s good night, little ones,” he adds. Really not interesting, but without any frustration. »
Hey, has he ever cheated on her? We tear him a little confidence. Twice, he eventually reveals. It was abroad, a country where “women, you have to have strong nerves to resist them”, he justifies himself with a laugh. Besides, no, he doesn’t feel the least bit guilty. “Not at all,” he insists. I do that, but I wouldn’t feel able to blame him for his flatness in bed. »
From ? “I’m content with what I have, I can’t part with that girl. […] This woman gives me another perspective! It’s not just ass in life! […] It is not necessary to fuck to tell each other that we love each other! »
We could of course conclude here. But we allow ourselves one last question: would Gino be a wise man, or rather resigned? “Wise, I don’t think I ever will be…” he replies without hesitation.
