I check my emails quickly and infrequently in France, partly because England feels so far away – like my troubles – and I don’t want to be distracted from the sun, the wine, the cheese, the meadow and all the pleasures of this bit of the Dordogne. Also I don’t want to spend too long sitting in front of the computer because I like having a drink in the courtyard with the participants on the course. People mean conversation and as soon as we sit down to eat we start discussing all those topics people say you should avoid: religion, politics, education, art, literature. It can get heated but usually/always remains amicable. Will Randall – our writing tutor who lives in the Loire valley - said that the conversations are more typical of France than England. Our stereotypical view of France is one of a nation of artists, philosophers and intellectuals so we feel rather smug.
However back to The Benson. When I had a cursory look at my emails between discussions on the European elections and a swim in the pool I saw one which said that The Royal Society of Literature had unanimously decided to offer me a Benson Medal in respect of my outstanding contribution to literature and books. I have several friends who like playing tricks so my first reaction was to try to decide which joker had sent it. What do you do in this situation? Google of course. If someone was joking it was rather elaborate. The medal was said to have been instituted in 1916 by A.C. Benson, a writer, academic and Fellow of the Society. Better still the list of previous recipients made me glow with uncool pride: Lytton Strachey, J.R.R. Tolkein, Maureen Duffy, Anthony Burgess and many other distinguished writers including a real favourite of mine – Ronald Blyth.
At this point I accepted with puffed out chest. As the participants on the course feel so kindly towards Ways With Words and us it felt only right to tell them as you would parents who would want to know and would excuse your boasting. So I did. Well Steve banged for silence at lunch time and made an announcement. They said the right things and raised glasses of our local Bergerac wine. Will said it sounded better if we referred to it as The Benson rather than The Benson Medal. So if you see someone shopping in Safeway or Leclerc wearing a medal of 3” diameter in solid silver do come up to me and say can I admire your Benson.
The Benson Medalist tends her herbs.
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