This is an accurate recreation of exactly how I sign my name on official documents.Credit:Michael Howard
During a series of recent work farewells I found myself engaging in a familiar pattern of avoidance. Each time,I would hover near the giant goodbye card,feigning politeness,allowing others to sign first while pretending to be deep in thought. “Please,go ahead;I’m still thinking of something funny to write!”
Only once the crowd had dissipated would I sneak over and quickly scrawl my illegible goodbye,tucked away on whatever scrap of real estate remained. To this day I cringe,thinking of dearly departed colleagues doing their best to decipher my panicked message. “Does that say,“Last winter,Thanos”? (Best wishes,Thomas)
As far as I can tell,I am not alone in this complex relationship with the written word. Instead,it seems most people are mildly embarrassed by their own handwriting,likely because we rarely need to do it any more.
Of course,some still boast of their neat writing;these holier-than-thou high achievers blessed with perfect cursive are the same kind of people who proudly tell you they’ve never had a speeding ticket or missed a day of work.
But the rest of us have declined slowly since primary school. Back then,attaining one’s pen licence was an important milestone. Sure,there was no governing body policing the distribution of these licences,yet being presented with one felt as thrilling as a first kiss and as intoxicating as a first drink.
While younger kids were left to ply their trade with pencils – embarrassing! – you had reached the promised land. Once you go Bic,you never go back. But then you grow up,technology takes over every single aspect of your existence,and handwriting is no longer a part of your daily life.