He asked to speak to me. First to tell me that the Yamaha World Festival
of Popular Song was the most important event of its kind in the world. That
he'd gone to it a few years back with Rene Simard, who was then about my age,
and who'd won the grand prize. After-ward he had become an enormous scar in
Quebec. Even Time magazine had
talked about him. "Frank Sinatra was the one who handed him his prize," Rene told
me. "And I was there. Do you realize, I shook the hand of Frank Sinatra? ..." Then he began to speak to me in a low voice, as if he were sharing a very
important secret, very intimately, as if he and I were all alone in the world. "I know you're the best singer who'll be over there. And you know
you'll win first prize—you do, don't
you?" I'd always loved his velvety voice, so calm and gentle, but that night he
really shook me up. Not only because of what he was saying but because of his
tone, which sounded close enough for me to feel his breath against my ear. It
was an incredible moment of intimacy.
In an even lower, gentler tone, he told me: "It'll change our life, Celine, you'll see."
Our life!
Sо I had to stop going to
school.
"We don't have any choice," Rene told me, as if he were announcing bad news.
He came with my mother and me to see the school principal to explain to him that I couldn't take regular courses because I had a "career" that was too demanding. I say "explain" because I'm certain that in Rene Angelil's head there was never any question of asking permission. Out of politeness, he simply wanted the principal to know that I wasn't coming back. And he wanted him to know why and to be in agreement as much as was possible.
He asked him to prepare a special program of studies for me. He said he would be personally responsible for my following this program and passing the examinations of the Quebec Department of Education. He also spoke about my mother. He said she'd always be by my side, that she was an incredible, intelligent woman who'd raised fourteen children. She too would oversee the education and studies of her daughter.
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