26 REDS & A BOTTLE OF WINE

In light of the revelations this week surrounding J.T., Leroy and James Frey I feel there are a few things I should say. Just to clear the air.

I know what you’re saying. “Oh no, another member of the literati has perpetrated a fraud on naive New York intellectuals. Another bad apple.” Whoa, whoa. Hold on, let me explain.

First off, let me say that I DO indeed know a man from Nantucket. His name is David, although he has asked me to leave it at that. The trouble for me is that there were some over exaggerations made as to certain of David’s physical characters. Ones I made both to preserve rhyming scheme and as an attention getting visual image. Writers often use devices as a way of “painting” a piece. I apologize for any damage I may have done.

Secondly, I DO know a girl named Alice. She is still alive and unharmed and has not, to my knowledge, ever used dynamite in any way sexually. Any suggestion by me that parts of her were found in ANY major metropolitan area in Texas were not a mischaracterization, they was simply lies. Once again, I am sorry to those I have hurt.

I will work hard to rebuild your shattered trust in me. I can only hope you can forgive me.