Dear Fellows of the Oyster Foundation,

Some of you were so kind as to write me of late letters of congratulation on my recent appointment as the first Country Director for France of The Oyster Foundation.  For that I thank you.

Unfortunately however, I am afraid that I detected a certain incipient jealousy in your notes, so I would now like to address all of you formally to get this perfectly straight. My nomination was a merit appointment, and is well deserved based on my established international reputation and oyster credentials.

It has been mooted about that I am related to our Founding Fatherperson, when in fact I only met him once and that was at Studio 54 a number of years back and you don't want to know the rest.   Pure merit, plus of course the fact of being good looking, young and rich.  (I bet it drives you crazy.)

In the meantime, awaiting our tenth anniversary gala at Le Bar aux Huitres , I remain