I am Top

Things went well today. Very well. Let me explain. As regular readers may have gathered, what with my 'top five' mark at A level last year, the weekly pub quiz and my excessive revision over Christmas and the New Year, I might be described as a competitive person. I haven't even talked about badminton in this blog, but "Never give up, never surrender" is my motto, whispered fiercely through gritted teeth to my doubles partner with the score at 14-1 against us. "This would be a good one to win."

Today was the day that we were directed to collect our exam results from our personal tutors. My tutor (The Prof) is one of the best; I've thought highly of him ever since our first conversation when I phoned to see if becoming a dietitian at my advanced age was a completely mad idea.

"I did my A levels quite some time ago," I said. "I've got a degree already, but it was back in 1983 to 1986."

"That was when I did my degree," The Prof replied. "I don't see why you shouldn't apply."

I thought that was a very nice thing to say, and was consequently very glad his name came up when we were allocated to tutors. My experience with my personal tutor on that first degree in the '80s was terrible; he seemed to come from another planet, and I couldn't imagine what he would have done if I'd actually had a personal problem that needed his help. Looked it up in a reference book, perhaps.

So when The Prof asked how I thought I'd done in the exams, I confessed to hoping that I'd done well, because I'd really be rather disappointed if I hadn't.

"What would you say if I told you that you'd come top?" he asked.

There was a pause while I considered this. "You're joking!" I finally came out with. You see that I avoided any expletives; there are limits, even with a personal tutor that one feels comfortable with.

Not just top of my course, but top mark in the whole of the University of Nottingham School of Biosciences. That's not bad. I'm rather pleased. The only downsides are that a) now I'll be disappointed if I 'only' come second in the summer exams, and b) my head won't fit through doorways.