In mid-2022, John and Wanda Beaulieu moved from northern Virginia, 15 minutes from Washington, D.C., to quieter Franklin, Virginia, to escape horrendous traffic and the common trappings of a large metropolitan environment.
When John finished preparing their home in Annandale, Virginia, for sale, he rejoined Wanda in Franklin, 180 miles south of Annandale and 15 miles north of Virginia’s border with North Carolina.
“A nice lady named Mary from across the street came by yesterday and brought us
flowers to welcome us to this community,” Wanda said while continuing to unpack their
household goods.
“Did you get her last name?” John asked.
“No, I didn’t, but I’m sure we’ll get to know her a lot better before long,” Wanda replied.
Weeks later, John and Wanda were invited to a Thanksgiving gathering at Mary’s home.
While introducing themselves to other guests, John met a lady. “My name is Nikki,” she said. “I live near Asheville, N.C., in a small town called Brevard. I came to see my brother, Roger, who lives here and my other brother, Richard, who lives nearby.”
She told John she was from a small town in northern Maine.
“You’ve probably never heard of it,” she said.
“Well, I’m also from a small town in Northern Maine, so try me!”
“It’s called Madawaska.”
“Madawaska? I’m also from Madawaska! What was your family name back then?”
“Hunting. My name was Nikki Hunting,” she replied.
“Nikki Hunting? You were Nikki Hunting? I had a crush on you when we were in the
same class all the way through eighth grade. But you were more interested in some other guy in our class, much to my chagrin at the time.”
After eighth grade, John went to boarding school in Quebec City. Nikki’s father, Elmer, and his father, Cyril, were truly best friends, he said.
Nikki couldn’t believe it.
“My two brothers, Roger and Richard, were classmates of your sisters, Cecilia and Claudette,” she said.
Thus, a friendship of more than 60 years was rekindled in Franklin, a small paper mill town in southeastern Virginia few have ever heard of.
