[Nicholas Stone]

A friend of my grandparents who now often writes for the Oldie used to enter (and win) New Statesman comps. many (though I'm not sure how many) years ago. Apparently he was invited back then to a party given by the magazine for regular winners, who were to turn up wearing their pseudonyms on name badges.

Does anybody remember one of these events?

[Adrian Fry]

I've never heard of such a thing, though I have read that compilations of winning entries were once published in book form. I'd find it a little disconcerting to meet fellow winners in the flesh. I wish to maintain my private illusions: in my mind alone, Bazza has a ginger beard and wears a deerstalker hat, John Whitworth is a Norfolk farmer and David Silverman is a slickly suited City type.

[Nicholas Stone]

Thanks Adrian, that's interesting. I agree with you about David Silverman, but I've always thought Bazza would look a bit like Dr. Busby and John would wear an outlandishly broad Tudor ruff. Frank McDonald has wild ginger hair, a tonsure and horn-rimmed spectacles, Brian Allgar sports a brown check suit and has a permanently raised left eyebrow. W.J. Webster, for some bizarre reason, has sometimes got an elephant's trunk and ears. You wear a Panama hat and carry opera-glasses.

I think I'd probably continue to maintain these hallucinations even if I were to meet the hallucinees.

[Adrian Fry]

Nicholas, you are right: I wear Panama hat and opera glasses. Even in the bath.

Oh, and John O'Byrne is a racehorse trainer in oatmeal tweeds whose speech is incomprehensible but mellifluous.

[Ann Drysdale]

How on earth did you know W J Webster was an elephant? Years ago I found a Speccie in a doctor's surgery and in it he/she'd won a competition with a poem that began "I wish I were an elephant". I head-hoarded it and taught it to my children...

[Jayne Osborn]

I'd find it a little disconcerting to meet fellow winners in the flesh.

Adrian,
I've now met SO many Spherians (''fellow winners'') I've lost count, and every experience has been marvellous. We are a great bunch of people!

Only last week I nipped onto a Eurostar train to Paris, from St Pancras, to see Brian Allgar and his lovely wife Françoise. We had a wonderful time together: great food and drink, great conversation. What more could anyone want?

You should try it, Adrian. Every summer we have a lunchtime gathering of Eratosphere poets from both sides of 'The Pond', and other countries too, usually in Cambridge, Oxford or London. Firm friendships are forged, and I highly recommend attending such an event. Don't hide yourself away. I, for one, would be absolutely delighted to meet you !

Jayne

PS. You could forget all those perceptions of what people look like and see them for real (there aren't any 'warts and all' really, you know! )