Excuses, Excuses

The writing prompt for this piece was “Excuses,” and that is precisely what I wrote about.

Excuses, Excuses

I’m sure all of you have been in a position where, for one reason or another, the adult or child you are interacting with gave you an excuse for something that was not done. 

As a teacher, I have come across a few. 

Some of these are genuine excuses that were actually heard, while others may sound plausible but, to my knowledge, were created by my imaginative mind. It’s up to you to decide which are real and which are not. 

1. My baby sister started chewing on my homework and got it all wet. My mom is ironing it flat at home. I’m sure it will be dry by tomorrow. 
2. (a note from a parent) My daughter left her journal in her desk at school, and since we don’t have a pencil long enough to reach it from home, she couldn’t write her journal for today.
3. I swear I did it, and I’m sure I put it in my backpack. You can even call my mom.
4. My dad accidentally put it at the bottom of the bird cage by mistake. I don’t think you want it after the bird pooped on it.
5. (while trying to do an assignment in a textbook in school) I can’t get this book to work. Every time I press on the page number, it doesn’t go to the next page.
6. You never taught that to us.
7. The page is smudgy and wrinkly because I couldn’t get my dog to eat it. 
8. But my mom said I should call her if I forgot my lunch.
9. I didn’t steal her pencil, and besides, I gave it back.
10. My mom doesn’t let me do homework right after school, and then I had a baseball game later on.
11. Two pages? I thought you only said one page.
12. Homework? I didn’t know we had homework.
13. I was absent the day you assigned it. 
14. (before calling a parent about a student’s attitude) That’s not how you pronounce my name. It’s pronounced Da-Pache-ay.
15. (after calling the parent, my excuse) I’m sorry, your son said it was pronounced that way.
16. My dad’s car ran out of gas, so I had to walk to school; that’s why I’m late.
17. All I remember is this bright light that appeared in the sky, and the next thing I knew, my homework had disappeared. 
18. My mom always makes my lunch like that. 
19. My sister was binge-watching her favorite show, and I had to keep her company, so I didn’t have time to read that chapter.
20. You said we shouldn’t spend more than an hour a night on homework. Here’s a note from my mom: she said I didn’t have to do the math. 

What are some of the excuses that you have used or have been used on you?

Six of the ones I’ve listed are actually interactions that I had with people. The rest of those may have occurred or not, but I can’t remember a specific moment when or if they happened. 

If you respond to my writing, let me know which ones you believe are true. I’ll let you know how you did.