By Eric Bourque
THE VANGUARD
NovaNewsNow.com
It was in the pre-Internet age that Sandy Christie and John Doucette went their separate ways, but it was through the Internet, many years later, that they found themselves again.
Although neither are living here now, both men are from the Yarmouth area – Christie from the town’s south end, Doucette from Quinan (although he moved to Yarmouth in his late teens) – both went to the United States in the sixties, both joined the American military, both served in Vietnam and both still live in the U.S., Christie in Gulfport, Mississippi, Doucette in Crestline, San Bernardino County, California.
And until this summer, when they got together during a visit to southwestern Nova Scotia, the two hadn’t seen each other in about 45 years.
In an interview they talked about their reunion.
“It was great,” Christie said. “I recognized him (Doucette) right away. He’s got distinguishing features. There’s no missing this guy.”
Said Doucette, recalling the occasion, “I couldn’t believe all the stories he (Christie) told me. He screwed up his back.”
Doucette was referring to the recent five-year period when Christie was confined to a wheelchair, a consequence of one of his war injuries, although he’s now back on his feet.
“It finally got to where I couldn’t walk and they put me in a wheelchair…I couldn’t take three steps without falling down,” Christie said. “I just got out of it in January of this year.”
Both men are retired. Christie worked for NASA after leaving the military. Doucette was employed by the County of San Bernardino.
Christie is 65, Doucette 66.
“He’s the old-timer,” Christie said of his old pal, laughing.
They found each other again through a Yarmouth website. Christie had added his name to the site’s guestbook and Doucette just happened to see it one day.
“I found him on that guest log, guestbook, whatever it was…and I said ‘Sandy Christie? That can’t be the same Sandy Christie that I knew back in Yarmouth.’ I got a hold of him and we talked for a long time.”
Discussing their younger days in Yarmouth – before they moved to the United States – Christie recalled that he and Doucette were dating girls who were training to be nurses.
“We got to know each other through them, became pretty good friends, and decided we were going to go to the States and join the navy,” Christie said.
Christie had been in the sea cadets – as had Doucette – and he knew some people, through a local friend of his, who were from the U.S.
“They invited me over to visit with them one time and I went over and I really liked it and one of them went in the navy,” Christie said.
Aside from the sense of adventure of heading off to another country, he says economic considerations were a big factor in his decision to leave Yarmouth.
