‘What reason you’ve used for being late to work is 100% true but sounds like a complete lie?’ – 22 literally unbelievable excuses

Who amongst us hasn’t slept through the alarm, woken up late for work, and considered ringing in with a bit of a lie rather than admitting the simple truth to our boss?

It’s generally better to own up to a mistake. But what about when the truth sounds like an almighty fib? Is it better to just say you’re a lazy so-and-so instead?

Over on the AskReddit page, user softly_stirred posed this question:

What excuse for being late to work have you had that’s 100% true but sounds like a complete lie?

And lots of people chipped in with stories that we wouldn’t believe if we were their employer either. Check these out…

1.

‘Back in 2008, I had just stepped out of my apartment to go to work at a restaurant only to meet a SWAT team member who told me to go back inside because they had the building surrounded and it was unsafe to leave. I called my boss to let her know I wasn’t sure when but I’d be in eventually and why.

An hour+ later, I got a knock on the door by the same SWAT member who told me I could leave now. I was checking my watch to see when the next bus would be by and he offered me a ride instead because he was hungry. So I rolled unto work about 90min late via police cruiser and walked in with a couple officers. The only reason my boss believed me.’
–aspen_silence

2.

‘I had to call in blind one day. I broke my glasses the night before and couldnt drive to work until I got a new pair that day.’
–IsuckatDarkSouls08

3.

‘I was late once because a crow shit directly onto my head while I was walking from my car to the office building. We didn’t have showers so I texted my boss explaining and saying I was going to run home, wash it out, and be right back.

They acted like that was an insane response to the situation, but I think it would have been way more insane to sit in an office surrounded by people for eight hours with literal shit in my hair.’
–Weekly_Ad_2007

4.

‘Got stuck in an alley at the bottom of a snowy hill. The tow truck got stuck halfway up the snowy hill. We had to wait on a second tow truck to tow the tow truck that was towing my car up the snowy hill. Fuckin’ Barrel of Monkeys tow trucks.’
–Nick_Wild1

5.

‘I had a gator under my car. Was almost an hour late waiting for him to move.’
–leeayn

6.

‘A fully grown woman had an argument with her partner, threw a tantrum and laid down in the middle of one of the busiest main roads in my city, which was also right in my path.’
–itsheadfelloff

7.

‘I kicked my own leg whilst walking out of the house by slipping on a wooden floor. I still have a scar from the resulting injury. It also ripped my trousers, so I couldn’t go to work until I got stitches and new trousers.’
–j877yyvb

8.

‘I dropped a jar of molasses and missed the bus as a result.’
–AoedesMelody

9.

‘I was letting my large, solid black cat inside and didn’t see that he’d caught a crow. He let it loose inside my house. I managed to trap it in my closet. My partner came home to help get it back outside. Took nearly 3 hours. Fucked up some of my clothes. Yeah… my boss was extremely skeptical, but forgiving.’
–WaffleEconomics

10.

‘Not me but a guy we hired to take us kayaking. He was 3 hours late because a polar bear was on his neighbours porch and he wasn’t allowed to leave. City ordinance says they have to stay in their homes till the bear leaves by its own accord or is moved by the appropriate government authority.

It all worked out though. He let us stay out on the water over an hour longer than we paid for and we were treated to beluga whales playing with us.’
–aussydog

11.

‘My cat shit in my work pants.

She used to have behavioural urination and stress issues. I’m glad they are fixed now. That little demon would open my door at night (it was one of those long handle ones). Get on top of the dresser. Wedge her paws at the top to open the dresser. Then would piss or shit in my clothes and roll them up like a burrito.’
–AndrossOT