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YOU could be forgiven for thinking that just like the independent Herbie, Gaye Mitchell’s 1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle has a mind of its own.
Or at the very least, mysterious forces were at work ensuring “Rosa” ended up with Gaye – living the good life at The Palms.
About six months ago, Gaye spotted the little white VW bug at the Aldi carpark and started chatting to the elderly owner.
“I gave her our card,” Gaye said, “and told her if ever she thought of selling it to let me know.”
It was a spur of the moment gesture. Gaye had fond memories of her first car – a beetle, and thought one day she would love another.
Meanwhile, life journeyed on, and Gaye’s beloved father passed away in April. Thoughts of VW beetles were no longer a priority.
Then late last month she went on a short trip to Sydney to visit her daughter and granddaughter.
While she was away, Gaye’s husband Kevin received a call from Gunther, an elderly gentleman who said he had been sorting through his late wife’s personal papers when a card had fluttered out. It was the card Gaye had given his wife Rosa at Aldi.
Gunther told Kevin his wife had passed on and he was selling the car she had loved.
It was out of the blue, but Kevin realised the lovely old car would be the perfect present for Gaye’s 60th birthday, and thanks to a little money left to them from Gaye’s dad, he felt it was meant to be.
Gaye and her dad had been very close, Kevin said, and her father would often reminisce about how he used to fix up his daughter’s old VW when she was a teenager.
“Gaye’s dad had a big say in us being able to afford it,” Kevin said. So, dubbing the car “Rosa” in memory of the elderly lady who once owned it, he drove his purchase to Maroochydore airport to pick up his wife, parking the vintage vehicle and adorning it with a large red ribbon.
As Gaye and Kevin walked out to the carpark, Gaye immediately spotted the Love Bug. Gaye stopped in her tracks and said: “Oh look, some lucky lady is going to get that.”
Kevin piped up with: “Well, it’s yours”.
Dumbstruck, she managed to stammer out “what!” then “Oh my God!”
Kevin handed her a beautiful handmade card with a photo of Gaye and her dad on the front.
“He did really well,” Gaye said, with an affectionate glance at her husband. “He is quite romantic, and I think somehow dad had a hand in it too.”
Or at the very least, mysterious forces were at work ensuring “Rosa” ended up with Gaye – living the good life at The Palms.
About six months ago, Gaye spotted the little white VW bug at the Aldi carpark and started chatting to the elderly owner.
“I gave her our card,” Gaye said, “and told her if ever she thought of selling it to let me know.”
It was a spur of the moment gesture. Gaye had fond memories of her first car – a beetle, and thought one day she would love another.
Meanwhile, life journeyed on, and Gaye’s beloved father passed away in April. Thoughts of VW beetles were no longer a priority.
Then late last month she went on a short trip to Sydney to visit her daughter and granddaughter.
While she was away, Gaye’s husband Kevin received a call from Gunther, an elderly gentleman who said he had been sorting through his late wife’s personal papers when a card had fluttered out. It was the card Gaye had given his wife Rosa at Aldi.
Gunther told Kevin his wife had passed on and he was selling the car she had loved.
It was out of the blue, but Kevin realised the lovely old car would be the perfect present for Gaye’s 60th birthday, and thanks to a little money left to them from Gaye’s dad, he felt it was meant to be.
Gaye and her dad had been very close, Kevin said, and her father would often reminisce about how he used to fix up his daughter’s old VW when she was a teenager.
“Gaye’s dad had a big say in us being able to afford it,” Kevin said. So, dubbing the car “Rosa” in memory of the elderly lady who once owned it, he drove his purchase to Maroochydore airport to pick up his wife, parking the vintage vehicle and adorning it with a large red ribbon.
As Gaye and Kevin walked out to the carpark, Gaye immediately spotted the Love Bug. Gaye stopped in her tracks and said: “Oh look, some lucky lady is going to get that.”
Kevin piped up with: “Well, it’s yours”.
Dumbstruck, she managed to stammer out “what!” then “Oh my God!”
Kevin handed her a beautiful handmade card with a photo of Gaye and her dad on the front.
“He did really well,” Gaye said, with an affectionate glance at her husband. “He is quite romantic, and I think somehow dad had a hand in it too.”
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