One of my more recent memories of Doug centers around his return to New York. We reconnected and he was telling me (and my mom) about the Navy. He was talking about how he had "secret clearance". Well, my mom had this confused expression on her face. After a while, Doug stopped talking and asked her what was wrong. She asked him to repeat what he had said. He did and she proved once again that she has "creative hearing" from time to time. She admitted that the first time she had thought he said he had "seafood clearance." Doug, ever quick on the uptake, said "yes, the first level is shrimp, then comes crab, and eventually lobster...." We all laughed. Thus my mom was inducted into the ranks of the continuous indelible AMMO I spoke of earlier.
One story that whenever it is told has always brought a smile to so many is how Doug wound up with what were called temporary permant front teeth. I do believe they did eventually wind up as permant but the story behind it is a classic
While on board his ship in the Navy, he was walking around the deck while awaiting the new commander to come aboard and according to Doug since they were landing a helicopter on deck, they had put the missle launcher in the down position and he wasn't paying attention because it was always upright. Well he walked right into it and broke his front teeth. That was the first time... yes there is a part 2 to this story. A few months later, while once again walking around on the deck, again, not paying attention (notice a pattern here) he said he was on an upper part of the deck talking to someone on the lower deck and he walked face first into a satellite dish. Now, you explain to me, how do you miss a satellite dish?? So once again, he headed to the ship's dentist and they gave him temporary permanant teeth till his mouth healed enough for him to have them put in permanantly. I remember this story very vividly because we had gone out to celebrate St. Patty's day that year and because he was drinking, his teeth kept falling out and bouncing on the table and without a missing a beat, he'd catch them and put them back in and just kept going with the conversation like it never happened. It was classic Doug in action...
I have known Doug since 1994. We instantly became friends unfortunately there were a number of years we lost touch when he was in the Navy. We recently we reconnected and it was like no gap ever existed. Doug was a great friend to the core. I have thought long and hard about what memories to write. I decided to make a list of the things that will ALWAYS and FOREVER that will remind me of Doug.
Foodtown Massapequa
Cashier Trainer
STRYC 5pm mass
Michael W. Smith “Friends”
Burger King (for a fast Sun. dinner)
Monday Night Insight
STRYC Dance/Prom
Massapequa Dinner
Massapequa Pool Hall
U.S. Navy
San Diego, CA
Pen Pals
Prom
Surprise visits
“hey you”
Port by Mardi Gra
Keg stands
July 4th Party
Myspace
Text messages
Rent a Husband
Virginia Beach, VA
Red Lobster in Copiague
Pool Hall in Copiague
New England Patriots
StarBucks not open late
Mulcahy’s on a weeknight
There is one memory that I hold near and dear. I was having teeth removed in the hospital. I was extremely nervous and Doug knew this. He got a group of friends from STRYC to go out the night before the surgery. We hung out at John J. Burns Park in Massapequa NY. We all just did whatever, talked, laughed, told stories, searched for crabs climbing the bulkhead (tried to catch a few), etc. I was not allowed to eat after midnight because of the surgery so at 11pm we drove to 7-11, got all the food I wanted to eat. At midnight all the food was gone (or taken away from me). At which point people started to leave. I was getting even more nervous so Doug stayed to hang out. We laid on the benches by the water just hanging out until I was ready to go home. We figured I didn’t need to sleep I would be knocked out for surgery and then relaxing for awhile healing. This was one of the many times Doug was by my side to cheer me up and tried to put a smile on my face.
Doug,
Thank you for being a wonderful friend. I don’t think a person could ever ask for a better friend then you. You will always hold a special place in my heart. I will never for get you. Remember friends are friends forever if the lord’s the lord of them. You are deeply missed and 100% loved. I hope you have found your peace in heaven, until we meet again. 
Luv,
Ali
Doug was my son-in-law for two and a half years. He is my oldest granddaughter's daddy. She misses him so much. Just knowing that she will never get to spend any more time with him makes me so sad.
Doug,
We'll take good care of Kalyn. When she is old enough, we'll try to make her understand, if we ever do. I love you and I'll miss you.
I've considered what memories stick out most. I could mention countless never-ending inside jokes that involved this or that stupid thing that one or the other of us (or our parents :-D) had done and would never be forgotten by the other if for no other purpose than continuous indelible AMMO. I could write a list of familiar phrases such as "Don't eat that!" or "Wonderbuns!" or even "Shut the microwave door!", but these words and stories simply don't do him justice. What I have realized is that all of the memories of Doug that I have boil down to one enduring theme. What I will always remember about Doug is that from day one I was ALWAYS worth the effort. We did not go to the same school, live in the same town, or hang out or call as often as we "should have" and yet he never let me forget that I was special to him. Every new moment cemented the importance of what had come before and took our relationship to yet another new level.
Last week I thought I was missing the way it used to be. Over time I have realized that I am missing the way it continued to be. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who loved him. Doug said he wanted to die rich. Look around you, Doug, there was no richer man on this earth.
