The letter was sent as a thank you to the shop manager at Queen's University in Belfast, Ireland. Bukowski had in fact given the university permission to make some t-shirts with his face and some of his famous quotes to sell in the university shop. Once made, the shop manager sent him some t-shirts as gifts. This is Bukowski's response as a thank you for the t-shirts he received.

Charles Bukowski was an American novelist and poet known for his uncompromising and frank style. Born in 1920 in Andernach, Germany, Bukowski grew up in Los Angeles and spent most of his life in the city. His works often deal with themes such as working-class life, alcoholism, sex, and urban loneliness. Among his most famous novels are "Post Office", "Factotum", and "Ham on Rye", which reflect his life experiences and observations of society. Bukowski is also known for his poetry, characterized by a direct and raw style that explores the darkest and most authentic human experiences. His writing has often been criticized for being controversial and crude, but it has also gained a large fan base and influenced many later writers. Bukowski is considered an important figure in contemporary literature and his cultural impact continues to be significant even after his death in 1994.