Patricia Kennealy-Morrison - FAQ 21

 ''What about Jim's wedding ring? You say in Strange Days that Pamela Courson sent it back to you--is that really true?''   Well, I guess it's time to 'fess up... For reasons of my own (and strange as it may sound to you, generosity to Pamela was not least among those reasons) I implied in my book that Pamela Courson sent me back the claddagh Jim used for our wedding ceremony (read the passage, again, carefully--it doesn't say it was her, it just says I am saying I think it might be her, or that it probably could not have been anyone else). I never said she did, or even that I thought she did. But I did want certain readers to think I thought she did. Because it was a trap. And my targets fell right into it. I knew very well that assorted apologists would pounce upon the alleged ring return as proof of Courson's saintliness, and I set it up beforehand so that they can't claim it without being shown up as the liars they are. In fact, I have put several such traps into Strange Days to counteract just such false claims by third parties; I'm not saying how many, or what they are, but know that they are there, and that I have proof. Evildoers will fall into all my little ambushes sooner or later, to their own shame and embarrassment--so, if I were you, I'd be really, REALLY careful about what you go around alleging Jim said or did or told you or didn't tell me... I detest being forced to resort to such ploys, but you give me no choice, and I'm a lot smarter than you so don't even try. And I have the further advantage of the truth on my side. I have told no lies. Not because I could never lie, but because I would never lie; and where Jim is concerned I neither would nor could, no matter what... Why is that people who never even ever met Jim or Pamela or me claim their unfounded opinions to be the purest gospel, and gullible halfwits lap it all up, but what I say, I who was actually there for it, and the things Jim said and wrote to me--why is that all instantly branded a lie? I say incredibly nice things about Pamela in Strange Days, you know; the first thing I say about her is that she's the prettiest girl I've ever seen, and one of the last things I say is that I pray for her (absolutely true). I didn't HAVE to say these things--but I said them because I am honest, and because they are true. She said things about me at least as uncharitable as the things I said about her, and she also said nice things. It's not simple. I have not lied (and neither did Jim). But I also have not revealed all the facts about certain events--which is my indisputable prerogative, to keep some private things private forever between my handfasted husband and myself, and I declare as much right there in Strange Days itself, and plenty of other places. I don't want to say too much here, either, but: THERE IS A NOTARIZED DOCUMENT, IN A BANK SAFETY DEPOSIT VAULT WITH ALL MY OTHER JIM STUFF--LETTERS, POEMS, SONGS, JEWELRY, ETC.--WHICH DETAILS THE FACTS ABOUT THE RETURN OF JIM'S WEDDING RING. And about some other things too. Yes, I know who returned the ring to me. No, it was NOT Pamela Courson. And I have proof, and I will swear to it. That's all I'm going to say.