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Christie Lee Retires I call Christie at 1 p.m. Thursday. Luke: "When did you come to this decision?" Christie, who turns 22 in September: "Four months ago. My mom called me. 'I've got glaucoma. My sister, 22, had lung cancer a year ago. They thought they got it all out but it's come back. "I'm leaving at the end of July. It'll be the only first-class plane ticket I ever buy. There's no way I'm sitting in coach for seven hours. "I'm looking to buy a house back home. Then I'm going back to college to study nursing. For my last two years in highschool, and for a year afterwards, I worked in a volunteer program at this nursing home. It had a bunch of Alzheimer patients." Luke: "When you look back on your time in the industry?" Christie: "It was a blast. I don't regret anything. I'm strong-minded. I don't let people take advantage of me. When I first got in the industry, nobody told me what was up, but I caught on fast. "I'm not cut out for California. I'm such a homebody. I hardly go out. I just started to go out to a couple of parties to have some fun before I leave. I won't miss California." Luke: "What don't you like about California?" Christie: "Too loud. Too noisy. You walk down the street and no one looks at you. They always turn their heads. That's not friendly. One of my friends told me, 'If you look at someone, they'll think you're looking at them the wrong way and they might start something with you.' "Before I came out here, I was living with a bunch of university students. They thought it would be great to do cams. Earn some extra money. We were all going to school and working part-time jobs. Then I shipped off to the U.S." Luke: "How many friends do you think you'll keep from your time in the industry?" Christie: "I don't have many friends in the industry. I have a lot of acquaintances. I know a lot of good people. I don't really hang out with anyone in the industry. All my friends aren't in the industry." Luke: "How are you different from when you entered the industry?" Christie: "So many ways. I was never independent. I would never walk down the street by myself back home. I lived in a town of 400 people. I wouldn't go anywhere by myself. I wouldn't call up people and say, 'Hey, you want to hang out?' I was a shut-in and I never liked to do anything. Being in this industry helped my confidence. I've learned how to deal with people. It's made my mind stronger. You have to deal with so many things. Especially because I live out here alone. I don't have any family. I rely on myself." Luke: "Do you want to get married and have kids one day?" Christie, who's bisexual: "I don't know. Maybe, if the right guy comes along." Luke: "What type of guy can you picture yourself marrying?" Christie: "When I date a guy, I have rules. One, never show up to my place unannounced. Two, don't ever assume that I'm going to drop everything to hang out with you. Don't assume that just because I'm dating you, I don't have a life. "I want a guy who makes me laugh, is very independent, whose mind is strong, who loves animals. He doesn't have to be rich. He has to have a good job. If he has a good job, he's likely to be more confident. "Materialistic things aren't that important to me. I was talking to my mom the other day. I have all these great things that I bought while I was here but I'm not happy anymore. It doesn't matter how many nice things you have. If you don't have family around you... If you don't have the good friends you grew up with... "When I got in the industry [three years ago], I told myself, 'If there comes a time when I feel I need a change, I'm going to do it. Just like when I left Canada. I need a change. I'm going to do something else." Luke: "How does your family feel about you working in this industry?" Christie: "They're supportive. I'm a mini-celebrity back home. Everyone knows me. It's cool. It's just porno! I was promiscuous before I got in the industry. My parents were more worried about that. 'If you go and party, you might end up pregnant. You might catch something.' "My parents know all about the industry. They're big porn connoisseurs." Luke: "Before you got into it?" Christie: "Yeah." Luke: "Do your parents smoke pot?" Christie: "No. I do recall a time when I came out here and after a couple of months went back home. My sister was a goodie-goodie. She calls me and says, 'I just got some pot. You want to come down and smoke it with me?' 'I said, 'What? Hell yeah?' It was a bonding moment for me and my sister. We'd never gotten along. We get home. My mother goes, 'If your father knows you are smoking pot, he is going to kill you.' "My mom leaves. My dad comes out and says, 'What's your mom bitching about now?' I said, 'My sister is coming over and we're going to smoke pot.' My dad goes, 'Don't tell your mother this, but if you're going to smoke pot in this house, at least give me a few hits. I was cool one time back in the day.' He starts telling me all these stories about him smoking pot. "My mom is so straightlaced. She doesn't do nothing. No wine. She'll smoke cigarettes. "I couldn't believe it. 'Dad, you smoked pot? You're f---ing cool.'" Luke: "Are you a bit of a drinker?" Christie: "I love beer. It's my one fault. I drink it like it is water. I don't drink daily. But when I do drink, I can drink a lot before I get wasted. I can drink 18 beers before I get wasted." Luke: "How much do you weigh?" Christie: "I weigh 120. I'm 5'. I gained weight from drinking beer." Luke: "You were little." Christie: "I had to go see a nutritionist because my agent's like, 'You're too heavy.' I kick-box three times a week. When I first got in the industry, I was 100 pounds. "I've had some bad times [in porn]. I like to look back on those times and laugh about it because they make great stories. Because I've come out ahead and a stronger person, it is cool to know that I've been there. "I'm leaving with a smile on my face." Luke: "But you also realized you weren't happy here any more." Christie: "Yeah, because I missed my family. If my family was here, I'd still be doing this. "You can't stay in porn forever. If you stay in porn past your time, you become extremely jaded and hate sets in. "My happiness is more than money. "I've saved up a lot of money. I've been smart. "I'm buying a 5,000 square foot house on six acres of land. It's got an indoor swimming pool. "When I was little, we'd go to the lake once in a week in summer and we'd pass this house and it was enormous. I'd say, 'Wow, mom. A princess must live there. I want to live in a house like that when I get older.'"
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