The Story of a Coincidence

By John White.

Recently I joined the Lotus Club of Queensland.

I have yet to attend a meeting or participate in a Lotus Club event as I do not yet have a suitable vehicle in one piece. However, I recently read in the Club magazine of the “Forgotten Lotus” written by Giles Cooper. In the article, he mentioned his trip across America in his Elise.

In 2012, I was in Denver inspecting and preparing for the transit of two Lotus Europas, one 1969 and the other a 1970 model, that I had purchased off a fellow in Denver. As luck would have it, and by coincidence, even though I was in Denver for only a few days, one of which happened to be the Lotus Club of Denver meeting night.

The vendor from whom I purchased the two Europas was a member of the club, and despite my being pushed for time, was intent on going to the meeting. He rang then Club President, who was pleased to know that there was a representative of the antipodeans in Denver. He asked me if I would give a talk to the meeting telling them of the virtues of Australia. Of course, I accepted.

So, as the preparations for the night progressed we bundled into a van (of sorts as I am not really sure what held the thing together) and headed for central Denver where the Club met at a restaurant with copious car parking provided.

All was well, I was comfortable, quietly rehearsing in my own mind what I was going to say about Australia, hoping that there were no questions about Lotus as my knowledge was limited on all but Europas of the 60s and 70s and of Bill Gates’ exploits of the 60s in his Elans.

We arrived at the restaurant and it was there that, in front of my somewhat bleary eyes that I saw an Elise with Queensland Sunshine State registration plates. Surely this cannot be correct – I am a million miles from anywhere, at a Lotus club meeting in the United States and here is a RHD car from Queensland.

True it was and it was there that my invitation to be a key note speaker at the meeting was quickly quashed and overshadowed by Giles who proceeded to dominate the night with a colourful and wonderfully informative description of his exploits thus far of his travels in the U.S. What an entertaining night it was.

I had no choice but to enjoy what the Americans called beer.

I have not met Giles from that day to this, but his story was wonderful and I still cannot believe the coincidence. Perhaps at a later date there will be a story on the Europas thus far.