# Favorite last words **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 4, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841 "2006-12-04T18:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/41 "2006-12-05T13:38:59Z")
My favourite is Bill Hicks: “I have said all there is to say.” He lived for twelve more days, but said nothing more. Now _that_ is hardcore. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/42 "2006-12-05T14:53:57Z")
[QUOTE=DaphneBlack] No cite either, but I think that is supposed to be St Lawrence, being roasted on hot coals. [/QUOTE] I’ve found it attributed to [St. Lawrence](http://divinacucina.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_divinacucina_archive.html) at several [sites](http://www.jodereske.com/newsletter388448.htm) , but I would assume it is legend. Says something about our biases that a story originally attributed to a Christian martyr (258 AD) was attributed to a victim of the Spanish Inquisition here. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/43 "2006-12-05T15:32:10Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Wow. Thanks for the link. I read 15-20 of them, and they were pretty underwhelming. Most of them were just kind of sad and banal. An interesting window into what goes through the mind of someone who knows he’s about to die. [QUOTE=BrainGlutton] How come nobody ever says, “I’d do it all again!” or “I’ll see all you rat-bastard screws in Hell!”? [/QUOTE] Most of them are pretty contrite and sad. About one out of every 40 or 50 will be on the other end of the spectrum, though, and some of those are pretty chilling. This is one from Kelsey Patterson, who shot two people for no reason and then took off his clothes and stood naked in the middle of the street: > [@](#): > > Statement to what. State What. I am not guilty of the charge of capital murder. Steal me and my family’s money. My truth will always be my truth. There is no kin and no friend; no fear what you do to me. No kin to you undertaker. Murderer. [Portion of statement omitted due to profanity] Get my money. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my rights. Give me my life back. Gary Graham (who took the name Shaka Sankofa in prison) achieved international fame on death row and the support of celebrities like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Bianca Jagger, all of whom were present at his execution. His speech is probably the longest, and is also pretty chilling in places. It’s too long to quote in full, but here’s a link: [http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/grahamgarylast.htm](http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/grahamgarylast.htm) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/44 "2006-12-05T15:40:03Z")
[QUOTE=SlowMindThinking] Thomas de Mahy when handed his death sentence by French revolutionaries, “I see that you have made three spelling mistakes.” [/QUOTE] Reminds me of my favorite: “I am about to – or I am going to – die: either expression is correct.” Dominique Bouhours, French grammarian, d. 1702 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/45 "2006-12-05T15:44:47Z")
My wife’s grandfather was dying in hospital. One night, he and his kids were quietly watching a Leafs playoff game in his hospital room. The third period ended in a tie, and after the horn sounded, he said, “Well, I’m not sticking around for overtime.” And he promptly died. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/46 "2006-12-05T15:51:49Z")
_That’s_ going out with style. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/47 "2006-12-05T16:02:37Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] My wife’s grandfather was dying in hospital. One night, he and his kids were quietly watching a Leafs playoff game in his hospital room. The third period ended in a tie, and after the horn sounded, he said, “Well, I’m not sticking around for overtime.” And he promptly died. [/QUOTE] Now _that’s_ what you call “sudden death.” 😃 sorrysorrysorry ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/48 "2006-12-05T16:03:12Z")
“I think I’m becoming a god.” -the Emperor Vespasian Probably a myth, but I like it. (Roman Emperors in those days were often deified after death.) ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/49 "2006-12-05T17:47:02Z")
“To the contrary–” Henrik Ibsen. His housekeeper had observed that he was looking better. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/50 "2006-12-05T18:19:43Z")
[QUOTE=Alive At Both Ends] “Bugger Bognor.” The last words of King George V, when his doctor suggested he should take a trip to the seaside resort of Bognor Regis for his health. (It was reported in the London \*Times \*that he said “How is the Empire?”) [/QUOTE] An alternate version insists he really said, “How is the vampire?” Referring to Wallis Simpson (later Duchess of Windsor), the American divorcee who had ensnared his elder son. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/51 "2006-12-05T18:22:44Z")
[QUOTE=SlowMindThinking] I’ve found it attributed to [St. Lawrence](http://divinacucina.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_divinacucina_archive.html) at several [sites](http://www.jodereske.com/newsletter388448.htm) , but I would assume it is legend. Says something about our biases that a story originally attributed to a Christian martyr (258 AD) was attributed to a victim of the Spanish Inquisition here. [/QUOTE] Well, what do you . . . [lengthy pause] . . . **expect?!** 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/52 "2006-12-05T18:38:43Z")
For sheer mystery, you can’t beat the last words of [Dutch Schultz!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Schultz#Last_words_and_posthumous_events) You know, I’ve now watched Dutch Schultz die in at least three movies – [_The Cotton Club,_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087089/) [_Hoodlum,_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087089/) and [_Billy Bathgate_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101453/) – and not one of them has done anything with Schultz’ famous last words. I wonder fnord why not? ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841/53 "2006-12-05T23:56:15Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] “Moose… indian” Thoreau [/QUOTE] Qadgop, true, those _were_ HDT’s last words, but he was delirious when he mumbled them. A better quote from his deathbed ocurred a few days earlier when someone (his aunt IIRC) asked, “Henry, have you made your peace with God?” and Thoreau replied, “I wasn’t aware that we’d quarrelled.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-last-words/382841.md?page=2)