It is based upon a feature article that was requested by the newsletter editor of one of our car clubs. Both Granny and I share a lot of things in common; one is our love of fine cars.
Most of my friends know that I was born in the upper rainforest, in Chulumani, Sud Yungas, Bolivia, at the slopes of the beginning of the Amazonia. Many of them also know that I am an American citizen by choice and a Texan by destiny. The latter, thanks to my beloved Doris Anne, a sixth generation true Bluebonnet Belle. Oh, yes! My grandchildren are 8th generation Texans and because of my own lineage, 19th generation Bolivians!
It was in 1963 that I met Doris Anne Atkins at UT in Austin where I was a pre-med student. It was also that year when I bought my unforgettable first Healey 3000. Oh, sweet memories! Oh, our trips and drives with that Healey and all the fun and joy of our spectacular college years!
That old Healey was with me when, at noon, I went to pick up my mail from the post office box near the UT Tower the day when Charles Whitman shattered the American innocence with his homicidal rampage. The tragedy shook up the entire world. Fortunately, neither the old Healey nor I were injured. That was not the case for my friend and compatriot Oscar who got shot in the chest. Oscar survived and, six months later, he was my best man when I married Doris Anne. The original red Healey was also with me when it was revealed the identity of the murderer of two co-eds in the apartment complex where Doris Anne lived: James C. Cross! He was a classmate in my Abnormal Psychology class. Before he committed that horrendous crime, he tried to befriend me because he happened to own a black Healey 3000. I found him weird so we never became friends, just incidental acquaintances…Good grief!
The day JFK was shot in Dallas, I was driving my first Healey passing by the UT Tower Fountains, listening to the radio. I had to stop when suddenly I burst into uncontrollable crying hearing the announcement of JFK’s demise. As a result of his assassination, a big reception in Austin had to be cancelled. At that reception, I was scheduled to meet JFK and receive a Honorary Texas Citizenship certificate from Governor Connally because of God’s mercy: I was one of the first recipients of the Good Neighbor Scholarship promoted by President Kennedy. One year later, I did receive the certificate when John Connally fully recovered. That certificate is one of my cherished treasures. Oh, yes, I became an Honorary Texas Citizen long before I became an honorable American citizen!
Right before going to Medical School, I made the big mistake of loaning my Healey to a friend who gave me a ride to an Austin hospital where I was working as a humble orderly in the night shift. That friend, got drunk that night and wrecked my darling around a phone pole. It was devastating! Fortunately, my friend survived. With the limited funds I manage to recover, I could only pay for an used TR4 as a replacement. The bereavement took a long time. The pain still lingers.
My busy schedule at the Medical School and later at the UTMB campus in Galveston and MD Anderson Hospital and Cancer Institute in Houston, where I completed my specialty training, distracted me from painfully thinking about the old Healey. After completing my academic training, I was blessed to work with the Federal Government at the USPHS new hospital in Nassau Bay near the NASA LBJ Space Center. Our family grew to 5 thanks to two wonderful boys and a precious daughter. After three years, I went into private practice in the region of the Texas Golden Triangle where they needed my specialty skills and where I was offered me what appeared to be the best deal. It was an odyssey. Eventually, we prevailed to reach success to a degree I never imagined before. Doris became my diligent and protective office manager. We thrived. During all those hard working years we drove all kinds of fine cars, Mercedes, Volvo, Audi, Acura, Lexus, BMW and also a Triumph, an MGB, a Fiat, a Grand Prix, an MR2, a Porsche and a couple of Landcruisers. We also owned and rode a scooter and a motorcycle. Today we also enjoy riding a Kawasaki Mule in our neck of the woods.
Around 1992, when our youngest son finished high school and was getting ready to go to College, Doris and I started feeling the empty nest syndrome. It specially affected me. One day, Doris found me looking at an ad in a car magazine. It was for a BJ8. She stood beside me and asked if I would like to buy it. I told her that the thought had crossed my mind. She replied”: “Do it. It is probably going to be less expensive than a mistress anyway. Ha, ha”! So, we bought it…Our passion for the Healeys, for our family and between us, was rekindled. We joined the Gulf Coast Healey Club and made some memorable friendships. Eventually, when we retired in 2009, we decided to go back to the area where we had first met. Austin had grown so much and had become too crowded for our taste. As a consequence, we chose to move just a little bit west of Weird, to Dripping Springs. We transferred our club membership to the South Texas Austin Healey Club and also became members of the Triumph Hill Country Club. Now.both retired, we still enjoy our second Healey: Ol’ Red Snail. It is a driver! It still maintains its looks. We drive it easy and take good care of it, thanks specially to our dear good buddy Mike McPhail, our neighbor and one of the best Healey mechanics in Texas.
We cherish short enjoyable Hill Country cruises. No gymkhanas, no overexertion, nor damaging races. We take care of Ol’ Red as we try to take care of ourselves. We are now concentrated in counting our blessings, being stewards of the land and keepers of traditions to pass to our descendants. Like the original Red Snail in the 60’s, we were at that time, vigorous and handsome late models. Today, our second Healey, Doris and I have become God grateful vintage! That is the summary story behind our Ol’ Red.
How about the story behind Black Beauty?
Well, one day, Granny told me she wished she had her own toy since Ol’ Red had become almost entirely my own darling. I asked her what kind of toy she was thinking about…She had mentioned “perhaps a Jaguar, a Morgan or something, something like that.” So I bought her a pretty walking cane with a jaguar handle. She liked it and grinned but, intrinsically, I suspect she was disappointed and she probably wanted to whack me with it. Well, as it occurs in all the grand divine designs of my blessed path, I ran into Black Beauty. I had to get it for Granny. I did.
She is still delighted and smiling. That is all that counts!
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