On paper, my husband is entitled to append certain letters to his name. He could put "B.A., M.A., D. Phil." and you'd naturally think he'd got three degrees (and whenever that's mentioned he breaks into the chorus of "When will I see you again?" - groan) but in fact he has a mere two because through some curious quirk of the rules of the University of Oxford he was able to 'convert' his honestly got B.A. into the M.A. by filling in a form and paying £5. (I ask you...)
I was present, some years ago, at the degree ceremony where both the aforesaid dodgy master's and the D.Phil. were conferred and at which he was a virtual catwalk model, entering in one gown and hood, acquiring a second outfit, then disappearing for a quick change and re-entering in order to be 'doctored' in very flashy robes indeed. For the big ham that he is, this couldn't have been more fun.
However, it's time I got to the point. He read for his doctorate at Nuffield College which is just not pretty enough to merit a picture on this website, but it was at the extraordinarily beautiful Magdalen College that he was an undergraduate, and that is were we went the other day to have tea with his former tutor and to meet that man of unimpeachable literary tastes, Simon over at Stuck-in-a-book.
We said hello to Simon under the vast wisteria-clad neoclassical front of New Building, having first wandered through the cloisters in which The (yet-to-be) Doc. once lived in the room formerly occupied by King Edward VIII when he was Prince of Wales.
Deer were grazing contentedly in the rolling acres of parkland beside us, bees buzzed among the flowers, a soft breeze bore the sound of the smack of leather on willow, people lolled languidly in punts - Oh, to be in England now that April's here - you get the gist! The Doc. tries to perpetuate the myth that the sun always shines there (I know differently) and that as seats of learning go, it is the apogee. I suppose I should humour the old fellow.....
It was lovely to meet Simon and we all wish him the best of luck for his forthcoming finals. Floreat Magdalena et floreant Magdalenenses!
