Angus was a sales representative for a large chemical firm. He was constantly getting invited to attend this and that in the weekends by clients. “Come to dinner!” “We’re having a barbeque.” “Just a light Saturday luncheon with co-workers from the factory.”
Angus’ weekends were never his own. He had two children; a boy and a girl. He started by saying he could not attend because it was Algernon’s birthday or Gwendoline’s birthday. After several months of this he realized that that he had used seven or eight birthday dates for each child. What if the client repeated the invitation several months later? And which child’s birthday had he used for that client? He could hardly have each child born twice!
There was only one thing for it; Angus began to keep a notebook. It worked perfectly.
These days he has six grandchildren. There’s no need for names. There’s no need for notebooks. It’s simply, “I can’t come sorry. It’s a grandchild’s birthday.”
Weave a Web 
I’m up to 8 and it can be useful.😁
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Well done, Herb!
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I’ll never catch Herb…my only child/son is only and still in college. I would use that excuse anyway.
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There’s also spouse, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents etc.
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They will do in the excuse department!
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You could also say you were doing your floor. Did you finish and is it good?
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Oh yes! It does look good Bruce. It was a pain but it did turn out well. We need to do more rooms.
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It is infinitely difficult to maintain the sanctity of lies as opposed to truth. The seemingly tame end of the tale is in fact a brilliant solution, and offers a transformational account of a much larger proportions.
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Yes, one needs to keep a notebook if one tells lies. I would imagine that’s why politicians’ notebooks are called Portfolios.
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I have no grandchildren, imaginary or otherwise, but then fortunately in my job I don’t have clients expecting me to socialise with them!
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I’ve never been invited anywhere much – so I guess I write fiction!
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I’ll remember this excuse – but I only have two kids and two grandkids. Maybe I can just say it’s the birthday of someone in the family.
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It’s a good solution to include the whole family as excuses. Distant ailing aunts can be a godsend!
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I have constantly busy teenagers. No need for a birthday. Someone always has a practice or performance or a competition or some obligation or other. I never run out of excuses, but I also never have any time.
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When you’re old and haggard and have all the time in the world excuses may get harder to find.
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“I’m too old and haggard for that,” seems like a pretty good excuse.
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This is a brilliant strategy. You can also say that one of them is sick.
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You are well-prepared to make excuses – for the rest of your life!
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