Not only is Benson’s Bond politically incorrect but he has also found himself back in some of the staple situations of Fleming’s books, notably long, tense gambling scenes and leisurely, exotic meals. “That’s what I think was missing from Gardner,” says Benson. “He never did any of the meals or gambling.” In returning to what he calls the “original Bond,” Benson returns to the character he knows best—the one he became infatuated with as a young boy growing up in West Texas. Benson was born in Midland, the son of a geologist for Gulf Oil. When he was five, the family moved to Odessa, or “Odessolation,” as he calls it. From the beginning, Benson’s parents gave him free rein to discover himself, and early on he knew that he wanted to be involved with show business. He recalls trips to the public library just to thumb through the