GREENE — Glenice Bubier got a polite hug from her late husband’s cousin, then he asked about her recent trip to Germany.

Only she hadn’t been there — but her identical twin sister, Janice Brewer, had.

She’d been confused for Janice, again, this time at their 80th birthday party, by a man she’s known since he was born — more than 60 years.

“I said, ‘I never went to Germany. Jimmy, you’re my family!'” Glenice said. “He said, ‘Glenice, come here! I gave your sister a big hug and a kiss and I thought it was you!'”

The sisters burst out laughing over the story. Long gone are the days their mother used to put a blue bow in Glenice’s hair and a pink bow in Janice’s so people could tell them apart.

They had fun with the confusion as children. Still do. They have different glasses and different watches, but the same short white hair and sweet faces.

“They were all hugging her (at their 80th), saying, ‘Oh, Glenice, I’m so happy for you,'” Glenice said. “She didn’t tell them she’s Janice.”

The twins were born in Greene, at their grandmother’s house. Elzlor and Dorothy Chateauvert already had five children. They didn’t know they were having twins.

“When (Janice) was born, the doctor checked her,” Glenice said. “He says, ‘Dorothy, you’re going to have another one.’ She said, ‘Oh my god, how am I going to feed them?'”

Six minutes later, Glenice arrived.

(And their parents went on to have two more children.)

Growing up, their mother would sometimes dress them alike. As adults, sometimes they coordinate outfits and sometimes it just happens.

“We buy things and we don’t know the other one bought it,” Janice said.

The morning of their 80th surprise party last month, they suspected something was afoot and dressed alike.

Janice and Glenice said they’ve been lifelong best friends. They live less than two miles apart and go out to dinner together most nights, often with a younger sister and sister-in-law.

They’ve seen each other through the death of husbands. Janice has beat cancer and lost a son.

“I’ve had a lot more wrong with me than she’s had and I told her it’s her turn,” Janice said. “I’m tough, I guess. I think she’s tough. She’s not getting any of it.”

At 16, Glenice married Clayton Bubier and the couple had three children. Clayton started Bubier Meats and Glenice still oversees it, 10 years after his death.

“I try to be the boss,” she said. “I told them when I reached 80, I’d retire.”

That came and went on May 6. She’s still not quite ready yet.

Janice married Charles Brewer at 17 and the couple had four children. Charles died young, in 1979. She’s been engaged for years to a gentleman whom she dated when they were both teens, before he joined the military. She keeps busy mowing lawns and planting flowers for three neighbors, plus tending her own.

“They’re good friends,” Janice said. “They’re in their 80s, so … well, I’m 80, too! One of them is 90, Barbara’s 89, so they’re right up there.”

The twins are regulars at the annual fall fundraiser and talent show for Androscoggin Grange No. 8, organized by older sister Mary Casper, 84, with Janice’s help.

“(Mary) even makes clothes for us and everything,” Glenice said.

In late August, they’ll get their next performance assignment from Mary. The pair have been dancing clowns and “classy cowgirls.” Last year, they were Michael Jackson.

“We dressed in black pants and a white shirt and had a cane and a top hat,” Glenice said.

True to their inspiration, there was dancing and crotch-grabbing.

“We went for it and everybody was laughing, because I show off a little bit more than the others,” Janice said.

“Yeah, she does!” Glenice said.

The Michael Jackson memory led to even more laughter and a story about Janice sending her sister up a ladder to decorate a Christmas tree in her yard not so long ago. It sounded slightly perilous and very funny.

“She’s younger than me — she can do that,” Janice said.

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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