Over Sixty Winter 2022 Digital

18 LIFESTYLE WINTER 2022 | OVERSIXTY.COM.AU BONUS SECTION Seeking Henrietta... EDDIE DOGRAMACI REMINISCE I n 1971, at the age of 24, I left my native Turkey to study textiles at the Bolton Institute of Technology in England. While studying, I worked in a restaurant to support myself. In the holidays, I travelled to Canada to work for a tobacco farmer as a tractor driver and then to New York to work as a hotel doorman. I did this over two summer holidays and earned enough money to pay for four years of college fees. By 1973, life was beautiful for me. First and foremost because – with the help of a loan – I had bought a new, yellowMGBGT sports car. I namedherHenrietta.Thanks tomyworking holidays, I also had more money than most of my fellow students. Unfortunately, I spent most evenings in discotheques and dining out at the expense of my studies. I tried to juggle study, work and Henrietta but found that I simply could not do it all. I failed my exams, changed courses and failed again. Bills started accumulating and eventually Henrietta was repossessed by the finance company and I had to say goodbye to my beloved sports car. Heartbroken and disappointed in myself, I concentrated on my studies, passed my exams and finally completed my course. But Henrietta was gone forever and, like a first love, I missed her and thought about her every day. In 1979, my first wife, daughter and Imoved to Australia to start a new life. We landed in Sydney with only $500, knowing no-one and with no jobs to speak of. However, I quickly found work, put in long hours and focused on building a life formy family.Mymemories of England were left behind, except for Henrietta – she was always in my mind. I thought of tracing Henrietta through the UK Department of Transport and having her transported but there were so many restrictions and paperwork involved. Finally, I settled on another classic car, a 1954Citroën Avant L-15 which I bought in 1991. And althought the Citroën was in mint condition, my heart remained true to Henrietta. Driving around Sydney and further afield for work, I would occasionally see MGBs and MGB GTs on the roads and reminisce. With a deep sigh and moist eyes, I would firmly tell myself to get on with it. Then, during a classic car parade in 2009, I saw a similar MGB GT but it had a V-8 engine whereas mine had been an 1800cc. My heart started pounding and I had to touch the car. My second wife, Esma, knew all about Henrietta and strongly encouraged me to go ahead and look for another MGMGT. With her blessing, I started my search, scouring cities, regional centres and country towns throughout Australia. But all the MGs I found turned out to be 1968-1969 models, and most were the soft tops known as MGBs. Just as I was burying my dreams, a friend told me in April 2009 that there was a GI for sale in Brisbane. I contacted the owner and was on a flight to Brisbane the next day. As soon as I saw the car, I knew inmy heart it was her – it was my Henrietta. I sat inside her and immediately the drives and the adventures we shared flashed before my eyes. In 1973, MGB GTs had only standard antennas. However, I had installed an elect- rical antenna and cut-off switch under the dash not long after I bought her. Without telling the current owner this, I fiddled under the dashboard to locate the cut-off switch, then noticed a gap where the electrical ant- enna had been removed – it was the physical proof I needed to be absolutely sure it really was Henrietta. I bought her on the spot and had her shipped to Sydney where she arrived the following day. After 35 years of separation, we had been reunited. I even managed to successfully trace the chassis number to be sure of the match. I drive Henrietta once or twice a week and reminisce about the golden days we spent together in 1973. Contribute your own original, unpublished story and, if printed, we’ll pay you cash! Details on page 9. LIFESTYLE They say you never forget your first love WIN! Author Eddie Dogramaci with his kids and his beloved Henrietta