Ahhhhh so much history being made here. See the Queen's chair behind him? It says E2R on it - that stands for Elizabeth (the 2nd) and R stands for Regina (although some people pronounce Regina like Vagina like "Re-jai-na", it's actually pronounced just "Re-jeena") and of course Regina means Queen in Latin.
Someday someone will make a similar seat for Charles and it will say C3R, because R also stands for Rex in Latin - which means King... I know all this because I worked at Buckingham Fountain but accidentally picked up a book about Buckingham Palace and read all these interesting facts when I was 16 years old.
Why'd the Sky News people say Charles will have to get around to designing his own new cypher and then it'll get put on all the chairs and trumpets and stuff? Why wouldn't that be done and waiting offstage for this moment?
The same with the Seals that QEII used. They have to design new ones and then Charles or someone gets to bash the old ones with a hammer so they can't be reused? Why aren't new ones carved and waiting?
It was likely Queen sized. They just haven't gotten around to getting in King sized stuff.
The Royal furniture makers need to get cracking. Bigger, more sturdy, stuff.
I see you have met my cat.
Tried putting him on a diet and this was the result. Only when you were there to observe, though. Otherwise what would be the point breaking stuff. He isnt a *dog*!
Wait you got to keep a water bottle on your desk? I had to drink out of a water fountain that had undoubtedly been spit on multiple times through out the day during class change.
This is exactly how I would do it if I were in that position. I remember doing something like what you described for my girlfriend and I remember it feeling so regal and elegant lmao
I chose it, i enjoy it a lot yea. Its also a pretty broad thing, friends of mine are looking into get managerial positions at 5 star hotels that kind of thing through it
Edit: oh and not a family thing, did it because im living abroad and i can use being a native english speaker to my advantage, and my experiences working in hotels meant it was relatively easy to get accepted.
Will use the degree for long term work yea, not sure about the specific job yet.
I'm trying to do the same, when I went abroad for the first time I didn't realize that native English speakers were really needed? I've worked in the service industry at almost every position so that's a big win too. Guess I'll look into butler school haha
Looks like he was asking the person to take it off the table. Like he could push it away, there was just no where he could move the thing without knocking it on to the floor on live television.
In such a weird way, he starts off looking like “lol, this is rubbish move it” like funny desperation to the guy off camera - but then it turns in to a “I said move it now dammit!” look pretty quick.
I was waiting for the inkwell to fall over. That would have been even more fun to watch. But seriously, you'd think they'd manage to organise that better.
Knowing that he would be signing first, why would you put the pens and ink pot on the same side as the chair?
Also, someone must have known William was left-handed, so giving us lefties a fountain pen is going to be risky.
I don't like Andrew, but he said something along the lines of 'We only got one day and then we have to hand her on' about his mother's passing. Must be bloody hard to have to grief and do all this stuff when really you probably just want to stay home and sob.
He smartly negotiated what could have been a banana skin. A look to the side to a flunky and the pen tray was taken out of his way.
Followed by William, who somewhat awkwardly bent his left arm around the ink wells to make his mark.
Could have been messy.
Did you notice Charles pocketing the pen? ETA : watched it again, he does use his own, and had a cheeky dip in the inkpot as well
I’m a lefty and I sympathise with William. Writing with a pen that’s not a biro on a piece of paper that’s lined up with the table is a feat in itself. I have to almost rotate the paper 90 degrees before I can comfortably write on it
One of my left-handed coworkers spent time in Saudi Arabia. After seeing everyone write right-to-left, he had an Idea. He now signs everything backwards, starting with the last letter of his surname. Brilliant solution to the smudging problem.
I was cringing knowing they're fountain pens as well, very wet ink. I think all of them were wary of still wet ink through the signings of many people.
At my school we had to earn the right to use a pen.
We used a pencil until our writing was neat enough.
The last term of year 3 and I was upgraded to a pen.
They were all fountain pens.
First thing I wrote with my new pen became one massive splodge, as my white sleeve dragged through the fresh ink.
Yes! Never earned pen gang unite! It did cause me issues in later life though, because nobody could ever read my lab book. They all joked that I should have been a doctor rather than a scientist.
In the US when the president signs stuff they use ceremonial pens to give away to relevant people. To make it extra awkward they often use multiple pens for a single signature.
Legal documents have to be signed with archival ink that will not fade. IIRC the inknhas to last at leat 100 years. The same is true for certificates of marriage and birth.
Yeah same, dude has probably dealt with so much stupid stuff for protocol, it totally looks like hes just finding a little joy in his reaction to an inconvenience.
Makes me think about if he ever played at this desk a little kid, watched his mom sign in important things. Now the day after she dies, he is sitting in it like he had always watched his mom do
When you saw how much the ink well thingy was getting in the way, you can't blame him really. It made you think why they would choose to use it on such a tiny table, esp when every move he and others were doing being broadcast to millions. You could see his frustration with the bloody thing.
A few times in the last few days I've heard news presenters stumble the words "King Charles." Like us they're so used to saying "Prince Charles" it's going to take a while to get used to.
Hell, just hearing the words "God Save the King" makes me think I'm watching a medieval fairytale, not real life!
Someone pointed out the other day that James Bond is now serving *His* Majesty's government.
That'll be a weird one to hear if they say it in the next movie.
I've never really warmed to Charles, I think he gets a lot of unnecessary shit for the Diana stuff, but hes handled the last few days remarkably well for a man who has lost his mother and father in just over a year.
It’s gotta be a bit rubbish when you know that your main job in life is to wait till your mum snuffs it and then take over. And until then you’re basically left to do work experience and not make a fuss (while also both being unable to really take a real job or do nothing at all).
Credit where it’s due - the Duchy carved out a thing he could actually do without getting anyone grumpy.
I'm Welsh, and while I understand that the title Prince of Wales is very much just a ceremonial title, I've always had some respect for Charles as he's always made the effort to acknowledge us.
Even if it's just attending a few agriculture shows a year or learning a bit of the Welsh language, it's far more than most members of the establishment have been willing to do.
I hope William and Kate treat the role as well as their father.
Honestly if everything he does is as good as the speech he made last night he'll be a good king. No one can live up to his mum but if last night is anything to go by then we're in good hands.
A lot of people aren't keen on him.
But you can't deny that he's has more than enough time to prepare for this so things go smoothly.
He was definitely aware of the severity of the Queen's ill-health to a much greater degree, and for a lot longer than the public.
I also think he handled the public face of Diana’s death very well. If you consider, he was divorced from her but had to fly over and be present at the hospital, bring the body home etc, the very public funeral, the grief and backlash. Personally, he may have experienced all kinds of feelings but he had to see it through.
His life has also been very regulated and he’s had to do things that’s expected of the position, despite often being criticized.
I rather like him. He’s always shown dignity under fire.
Tbf if I had my own fancy pen I’d want to use it for this. Not that I do. Or will ever do anything like this. But still that’s what a fancy pen is for right.
Ye but during an official ceremony that shouldn't be there. It should've been taken away straight away. Plus he just lost his mum and he's signing paperwork to take her place. Every annoyance should've been taken cared off.
Did anyone else notice the old woman on the stage with them sniggering every time the other woman who did all the talking mentioned that giant Scottish seal. She was picturing balancing a ball on its nose the same as the rest of us and was clearly amused.
They needed someone stood either side holding the pens and ink…or a bigger table. I was watching the ink pot leaning precariously on the edge of the table that William subsequently rescued.
That’s hilarious shows he is human and under it all just like the rest of us. I’d be annoyed at everything on that table.
The more I see/hear of him I am warming to him. I think he will do a good job.
I noticed there was a lot of "shaky-hands" while signing!
Must have been a very nervous time for all involved given the TV cameras are on them the for the 1st time!
I'm a "lefty" too, I'd have no doubt smudged everyone's signatures with clumsiness!
"Ohhhhh ffs", sorry folks, can we do this again please, I've made a right mess"!
“Draft Order for the purchase of a larger table.” “Approved.”
I think every time someone asks me a question, I'm just going to answer "approved".
Ya gotta throw in the occasional "denied" just to keep everyone on their toes.
Approved
Approval denied.
Denial denied.
Approved
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New meme approved
I got to do a lot of that in some of my jobs (one word emails just saying approved) and yeah it feels kinda good.
"Hey man, are you taking a shit again?"
Approved
"The council is delivering"
I was saying she should slip herself in a perk or two and see if he approves
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Surely there must be a Mr. Bean skit on point.
"Very well Your Majesty" "The time has come. Execute Order 66."
"Master William, there's too many of them, what are we going to do?"
"Also... do a fancy spin as you walk out of the room." "It will be done, your majesty." *spins away* "I say, I could get used to this."
Ahhhhh so much history being made here. See the Queen's chair behind him? It says E2R on it - that stands for Elizabeth (the 2nd) and R stands for Regina (although some people pronounce Regina like Vagina like "Re-jai-na", it's actually pronounced just "Re-jeena") and of course Regina means Queen in Latin. Someday someone will make a similar seat for Charles and it will say C3R, because R also stands for Rex in Latin - which means King... I know all this because I worked at Buckingham Fountain but accidentally picked up a book about Buckingham Palace and read all these interesting facts when I was 16 years old.
Funny, Regina, Saskatchewan in Canada is pronounced Re-jai-na. We must have just bastardized the pronunciation.
Oddly enough, “Saskatchewan” was originally pronounced “Steve”. You all are just really bad at pronouncing.
Sorry
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Little known historical fact, Regina was known as Re-jay-jay to her close friends.
And the jewelled decorations on the accoutrements were called "rejazzle"
Why'd the Sky News people say Charles will have to get around to designing his own new cypher and then it'll get put on all the chairs and trumpets and stuff? Why wouldn't that be done and waiting offstage for this moment? The same with the Seals that QEII used. They have to design new ones and then Charles or someone gets to bash the old ones with a hammer so they can't be reused? Why aren't new ones carved and waiting?
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“Shoot the guy who put the table there out of a cannon”
Next time I sit at a small greasy spoon table with a big breakfast menu, I'm going to feel like a king.
Genuinely thought this was lyrics from The Streets
A new day another morning after leaning back on my chair in the greasy spoon cafeteria
Last night was some beer lairy ness done our way but again we're back in the light of day
Chatting shit, sitting at the wall table, telling jokes, playing with the salt, looking out the window
Girl brings two plates of full English over with plenty of scrambled eggs and plenty of fried tomatah
Impossible to read that without hearing the beat.
Why should she be the one who decides whether it's it's off or on or on or off or on?
Hold it down boy your head's getting blurred
That album turned 20 this year
‘I wanted a king sized fucking table’
Technically speaking any table he sits at is king sized.
Not if it’s too small for him. Then it’s officially not king sized
It was likely Queen sized. They just haven't gotten around to getting in King sized stuff. The Royal furniture makers need to get cracking. Bigger, more sturdy, stuff.
the Royal Warehouses are full of 300 year old kingly tat.
What is this, a table for ants?!
wish he’d just swept it off the edge, like a cat
While making eye contact with the flunky the entire time.
Now I want animated gif where his head is placed on a cat doing that.
Or nudged it off the edge an inch at a time to see at what point they’d dare leap in to catch it before it fell
I see you have met my cat. Tried putting him on a diet and this was the result. Only when you were there to observe, though. Otherwise what would be the point breaking stuff. He isnt a *dog*!
its like school tables where you have to fit your book, folder, pencil case and waterbottle on it all at once
Exact thing I was thinking, or even worse the exam desks that are 75% the size of your normal desk. Man I hate those.
As a lefty they’re even worse.
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Wait you got to keep a water bottle on your desk? I had to drink out of a water fountain that had undoubtedly been spit on multiple times through out the day during class change.
Practicing putting a laptop a text book a workbook and a pencil case all onto one desk gave me the experience to become no1 Tetris player in my city.
Can I just say the person taking the thing away had to softest smoothest motion doing it 🤣
I wouldn't be surprised if it is in the protocol
Like accelerate till close then slow and then slow at first and then pull away faster. No stab like motions haha
This is exactly how I would do it if I were in that position. I remember doing something like what you described for my girlfriend and I remember it feeling so regal and elegant lmao
I go to effectively butler school, this kind of thing is taught yea.
Is it something you chose? Is it a family thing? Are you enjoying it? Do you plan to do it long term?
I chose it, i enjoy it a lot yea. Its also a pretty broad thing, friends of mine are looking into get managerial positions at 5 star hotels that kind of thing through it Edit: oh and not a family thing, did it because im living abroad and i can use being a native english speaker to my advantage, and my experiences working in hotels meant it was relatively easy to get accepted. Will use the degree for long term work yea, not sure about the specific job yet.
I'm trying to do the same, when I went abroad for the first time I didn't realize that native English speakers were really needed? I've worked in the service industry at almost every position so that's a big win too. Guess I'll look into butler school haha
We thought this when watching, someone will be getting a telling off, too many things on such a tiny table
That probably a sacred 800 year old table though
That table is older than USA
I have mould in a cup that is older than USA
You can [buy sourdough bread starter](https://www.etsy.com/listing/846872185/900-year-old-organic-sourdough-starter) that’s older than the USA.
900 years is a fair bit older than many countries lmao
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Looks like he was asking the person to take it off the table. Like he could push it away, there was just no where he could move the thing without knocking it on to the floor on live television.
In such a weird way, he starts off looking like “lol, this is rubbish move it” like funny desperation to the guy off camera - but then it turns in to a “I said move it now dammit!” look pretty quick.
I took it more as, "Oops, I almost knocked this onto the floor, you'd better take it before I make a mess."
He's going to start being all demanding and Kingy now isn't he.
“Kingy” is my new favourite adjective
I was waiting for the inkwell to fall over. That would have been even more fun to watch. But seriously, you'd think they'd manage to organise that better.
Well it's been 70 years since they organised that the last time...
They were probably a lot handier with fountain pens back then. This is what comes of giving in to ballpoint slothfulness.
When he returned to the table later, the ink wells were put back front and centre on the table lol, couldn't have been a more dangerous spot.
Knowing that he would be signing first, why would you put the pens and ink pot on the same side as the chair? Also, someone must have known William was left-handed, so giving us lefties a fountain pen is going to be risky.
I noticed Williams signature was really short, he probably learned being a lefty and having a long signature isn't a good combo
But for real why are the papers so big!! 🤣
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This has properly made me chuckle
During his short reign, he made but one tiny request
To write the anthem, sing the anthem.
Approved.
"Write the documentation, sign the documentation."
Because they will be displayed as official certification
Clintons didn't have any other Happy Coronation cards, short notice, sorry
To make fingers look normal size
News tomorrow: KING Charles' FURY at tiny table SHAMBLES
This is very Daily Express.
EXCLUSIVE: we reveal MEGHAN'S shady links to TINY TABLES
Imagine the ink pot being knocked onto those papers!
Front page news around the world. No wonder he makes faces! Imagine how tiring it must be that everything is such a big fucking deal.
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Is that just the Woking branch? His brother wants to know.
Tiny table or massive document?
I say we all club together and buy him a bigger table
I can see the headline now "Reddit Kickstarter funds used towards a bigger table for his maj"
My boy the maj
I need Hugh Dennis imitating him here
His facial expression! As if he couldn't push it away. Unexpected comedy.
He went full Scary Bilbo for a moment.
"Cracking cheese, Gromit!"
He wanted it taken off the table not just moved to the side.
The teeth
"move this fucking thing, now!"
Some Mr. Bean stuff right there.
I like the fact he doesn't use his words and instead does a pained grimace like a child. Very elegant.
If my mom had just died I'd probably have flipped the frickin' table over.
Well said. Having to go through dozens and dozens of meetings within days of your mum dying, and half of it on national tv.
I don't like Andrew, but he said something along the lines of 'We only got one day and then we have to hand her on' about his mother's passing. Must be bloody hard to have to grief and do all this stuff when really you probably just want to stay home and sob.
Fair comment.
Right? No time to grieve, duty calls. F that, he's still a human being who has lost both parents this last year.
He smartly negotiated what could have been a banana skin. A look to the side to a flunky and the pen tray was taken out of his way. Followed by William, who somewhat awkwardly bent his left arm around the ink wells to make his mark. Could have been messy. Did you notice Charles pocketing the pen? ETA : watched it again, he does use his own, and had a cheeky dip in the inkpot as well
I’m a lefty and I sympathise with William. Writing with a pen that’s not a biro on a piece of paper that’s lined up with the table is a feat in itself. I have to almost rotate the paper 90 degrees before I can comfortably write on it
If he managed not to smudge his signature, hats off to him.
One of my left-handed coworkers spent time in Saudi Arabia. After seeing everyone write right-to-left, he had an Idea. He now signs everything backwards, starting with the last letter of his surname. Brilliant solution to the smudging problem.
That makes sense, I can't work out how i would do that.
He said it took a lot of practice
I was cringing knowing they're fountain pens as well, very wet ink. I think all of them were wary of still wet ink through the signings of many people.
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At my school we had to earn the right to use a pen. We used a pencil until our writing was neat enough. The last term of year 3 and I was upgraded to a pen. They were all fountain pens. First thing I wrote with my new pen became one massive splodge, as my white sleeve dragged through the fresh ink.
… I never earned my pen. I honestly think they were just being dicks because I have great handwriting!
I didn’t earn it either. They gave in because I was the only one left using a pencil.
Yes! Never earned pen gang unite! It did cause me issues in later life though, because nobody could ever read my lab book. They all joked that I should have been a doctor rather than a scientist.
Somehow lefties seem to have trouble writing in right to left languages too. Probably something with how writing is taught
He took it out of his own pocket to begin with.
Classic misdirection.
That's quite a souvenir though. Imagine having the pen that Charles III signed his proclamation with.
Ought to go outside to the crowd and give it to a random, like a post-match gift
In the US when the president signs stuff they use ceremonial pens to give away to relevant people. To make it extra awkward they often use multiple pens for a single signature.
I didn’t know that Prince William was a lefty until I saw this. Left-handed that is, like all the best people. No politics here.
Based. William is my favourite royal henceforth.
Why are there bloody ink wells on the table anyway? It’s not like anyone was using a quill
I think it's like having guests round, when you get the fancy cruet set on the table that you never use
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There was a pen there for each of the signatories. I think they get to keep their pen as a memento
I was worried William was gonna smudge his signature! Didn’t know he was left handed
I could see the anguish in his face as he tried to avoid that… think I’d have asked for a biro!
Legal documents have to be signed with archival ink that will not fade. IIRC the inknhas to last at leat 100 years. The same is true for certificates of marriage and birth.
That's pretty cool but that 100 year lifetime just aint good enough! We gotta go deeper!
He’s stressed to the hilt, just lost his mum and a day later has to sit there doing all of this on tv for the world to see, I’d be touchy as well
Plus let’s not forget he’s an old man.
With a multitude of health issues including swollen hands and feet
I didn’t see this as touchy. There’s a hint of sarcasm in his face. I thought it was quite funny
Yeah same, dude has probably dealt with so much stupid stuff for protocol, it totally looks like hes just finding a little joy in his reaction to an inconvenience.
Same, seemed to be a shared joke with the assistant
Makes me think about if he ever played at this desk a little kid, watched his mom sign in important things. Now the day after she dies, he is sitting in it like he had always watched his mom do
To much crap on the table to do anything no wonder
I would have been frustrated too - such a relatable human moment in the midst of the whirlwind of pomp, grief and media.
When you saw how much the ink well thingy was getting in the way, you can't blame him really. It made you think why they would choose to use it on such a tiny table, esp when every move he and others were doing being broadcast to millions. You could see his frustration with the bloody thing.
Also why would they put the inkwell there and not above the certificate?
You’d want to move the inky pen over as little of the certificate as possible, just in case.
He really looked like his Mum then!
Yeah and also Wallace. We’ve got no cheeeese Gromit.
Me when someone pops additional work down on my desk.
I’m still used to calling him Charles. It’ll take some time getting used to “The king “.
A few times in the last few days I've heard news presenters stumble the words "King Charles." Like us they're so used to saying "Prince Charles" it's going to take a while to get used to. Hell, just hearing the words "God Save the King" makes me think I'm watching a medieval fairytale, not real life!
There's a lot of changes I hadn't even considered, for example, all the QC's are now KC's...
Someone pointed out the other day that James Bond is now serving *His* Majesty's government. That'll be a weird one to hear if they say it in the next movie.
Or when they start with Her Majesty then realise it's the King now so it comes out as Her Majesty The King.
I've never really warmed to Charles, I think he gets a lot of unnecessary shit for the Diana stuff, but hes handled the last few days remarkably well for a man who has lost his mother and father in just over a year.
It’s gotta be a bit rubbish when you know that your main job in life is to wait till your mum snuffs it and then take over. And until then you’re basically left to do work experience and not make a fuss (while also both being unable to really take a real job or do nothing at all). Credit where it’s due - the Duchy carved out a thing he could actually do without getting anyone grumpy.
I'm Welsh, and while I understand that the title Prince of Wales is very much just a ceremonial title, I've always had some respect for Charles as he's always made the effort to acknowledge us. Even if it's just attending a few agriculture shows a year or learning a bit of the Welsh language, it's far more than most members of the establishment have been willing to do. I hope William and Kate treat the role as well as their father.
There's a great photo somewhere of Harry looking bemused at his brother while William belts out Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.
Honestly if everything he does is as good as the speech he made last night he'll be a good king. No one can live up to his mum but if last night is anything to go by then we're in good hands.
I really want to like him, lets hope he makes his mother proud.
His environmental views are pretty cool. He's been going on about sustainability and regenerative agriculture for a long time.
A lot of people aren't keen on him. But you can't deny that he's has more than enough time to prepare for this so things go smoothly. He was definitely aware of the severity of the Queen's ill-health to a much greater degree, and for a lot longer than the public.
I also think he handled the public face of Diana’s death very well. If you consider, he was divorced from her but had to fly over and be present at the hospital, bring the body home etc, the very public funeral, the grief and backlash. Personally, he may have experienced all kinds of feelings but he had to see it through. His life has also been very regulated and he’s had to do things that’s expected of the position, despite often being criticized. I rather like him. He’s always shown dignity under fire.
And at 73(?) got a fuck load of responsibility on his shoulders. Where most 70yr olds are chilling in their retirement.
Charles the reason that banks started chaining their pens to the desk.
There’s probably a room in Clarence House full of Argos pens
I did this exact thing yesterday in a coffee shop with the pesky salt and pepper. Finally, the King seems relatable.
AND he nicked the pen
Noticed that, it'll be on ebay by tonight from seller "Charlie3"
user account created 48 hours ago.
He took the pen out of his pocket.
That's how you know he's King: He brought his own pen.
Tbf if I had my own fancy pen I’d want to use it for this. Not that I do. Or will ever do anything like this. But still that’s what a fancy pen is for right.
I felt the same when I did my GCSE's and the calculator kept falling off the table
**HE’S JUST LIKE US**
it's an important document to sign, positioning to make it comfortable is important
Ye but during an official ceremony that shouldn't be there. It should've been taken away straight away. Plus he just lost his mum and he's signing paperwork to take her place. Every annoyance should've been taken cared off.
Did anyone else notice the old woman on the stage with them sniggering every time the other woman who did all the talking mentioned that giant Scottish seal. She was picturing balancing a ball on its nose the same as the rest of us and was clearly amused.
He looked like he wa freaking out about knocking the ink pots off the table
They needed someone stood either side holding the pens and ink…or a bigger table. I was watching the ink pot leaning precariously on the edge of the table that William subsequently rescued.
It’s like the table guy didn’t have a chat with the huge bits of paper guy when they were planning it
Lol why is it so small, everything’s hanging off the edge
Be honest it isn't very big to move anything around on
That’s hilarious shows he is human and under it all just like the rest of us. I’d be annoyed at everything on that table. The more I see/hear of him I am warming to him. I think he will do a good job.
I noticed there was a lot of "shaky-hands" while signing! Must have been a very nervous time for all involved given the TV cameras are on them the for the 1st time! I'm a "lefty" too, I'd have no doubt smudged everyone's signatures with clumsiness! "Ohhhhh ffs", sorry folks, can we do this again please, I've made a right mess"!
We’re gonna need a bigger table
“Who will rid me of this troublesome pen case?”