The governor's note.
This is embarrassing. The governor, for all I say about him, is a classy guy, gently reared, and given to sending gracious, hand-written notes — the surest sign that a person’s mama brought him up right.
But when he does this, I always have trouble deciphering the message. As you know, he had already called me about my departure, and couldn’t have been nicer. I’m assuming this was sent after my Sunday column, which mentioned that call — without sugar-coating what I think of the job he’s done as governor.
I’ve made note of this in the past when he’s written to me, and some of y’all thought it was tacky of me to post it, but I’m perfectly sincere here. I’m not trying to be mean, or anything. I want to know what he said. Is it “Good luck?” “Good grief?” “God gives?” Or what?
Help me out here, folks. (Here’s hoping the comment function is working on this new blog.
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Is it Godspeed? Good riddance? I don’t think he’s tacky (just pig-headed, insensitive, spoiled, and rigid), so it’s probably Godspeed. Should it have had a hyphen?
I think you’re right!
And congratulations on being able to post a comment here! It means I got my little glitch fixed.
Keep ’em coming.
I think he wrote, “God is good,” Brad. At least, that’s what it looks like to me and it is certainly true. I’m so glad you’re doing a blog! Greetings and best wishes from Florence, SC.
I vote for Godspeed…
I think it says, “God is great”… whick would be super weird
I’d need to see a much larger writing sample to figure how he makes his letters. I can’t tell if that’s an s or a g or what.
God save? He’s good at wishing or asking God’s blessing for those out of work. Might be better if he remembered St. Theresa’s (I think) take on it, to the effect that God has no hands in this world but ours.
My wife said immediately that it is “God is good” (without seeing any other comments), and she is usually pretty good at deciphering handwriting.
I posted a comment, but don’t see it. Does it get checked first?
I’ve got this thing about penmanship… if you’re going to write someone a note, it’s either bad manners or a deliberate jab to make such a complete mess of it that the recipient can’t even read it. I have no idea what the note says… looks like something from a prescription pad to me.
BTW – Doug R. and Bette C.: how did you post a profile pic? I don’t see the application…
God speed. – just a guess.
I agree, a personal note should be written so that you can read it.
Maybe he was trying to write “Good luck” but Andre Bauer was driving while he tried to get it on paper.
I think it’s “God is great.”, as in he doesn’t have you writing about him anymore. But Warren wrote a pretty blistering opinion this week.
Pat has it correct. It most certainly says “God speed.” Having worked with someone with terrible penmanship for the last 12 years, I have learned to read scribble, and that’s definitely what it says.
I’m pretty sure it’s God-Speed, which isn’t exactly how it’s spelled, but that accounts for the little mark between the words. Godspeed would make a lot more sense than “God is good,” which doesn’t sound very Sanfordesque anyway. The “s” does look like a cursive “g,” but the letters that follow clearly are not “o’s.”
Several years ago a Republican friend of mine who worked closely with Sanford got Sanford to autograph a copy of Friedman’s The World is Flat, which was pretty much the funniest birthday present I’ve ever gotten. It took me weeks to decipher the gov’s message.
Brad – glad to see you’re still in the blogosphere! Let me know if you need any help with WordPress. It’s a great platform with a lot of flexibility for design, etc.
I must say, though, it would have been pretty darn hilarious for you to have gotten a card from the Guv that said the equivalent of “Allahu Ahkbar!” The thought of that gave me quite the chuckle after I had read the blog this a.m. Thought I’d share.
I vote for “good grief”. I don’t know why he would say that to you, but that is how it looks to me.
Maybe those letters he was writing to Washington were actually thanking the Obama administration for the $700m but no one could read them accurately.
I, too, vote for God Speed–which can certainly have two meanings, such as good luck in your future endeavors but thank God and Greyhound you’re gone.
I think Barry’s answer wins.
It is certainly “Godspeed”. I believe you knew this already, but couldn’t resist the oppotunity to ridicule him for 10,000th time. I think the brevity of his note is a clue about how he really feels. I’m sorry to say he’s not the only one.
Johannes seems quite obsessed with you, Brad. Reckon that’s Joel Sawyer’s alias? 😉
I think he’s trying to write “Gods Speed ” which is a shortened form of “God speed the plough”. This phrase was originally from a 15th century song which was sung on Plough Monday, the first Monday after 12th Day, which marks the end of the Christmas holidays when ploughmen returned to work. It has come to mean a wish for success and prosperity. And I second the wish.