A Good Excuse

I was following up with three kids and their parents who missed a mandatory meeting I held on Sunday. Too many of them gave me bad excuses: I didn't know about the meeting. I didn't know it was mandatory. I was sick. I don't have any friends I could have gone with. My mom was working.

I called one of the parents and a child picked up. As I tried to get the child to pass the phone to the parent, she said that the parent was in bed. I asked if I could leave a message, and noting the hesitancy, I said perhaps it would be best if I called back, the child didn't pick up, and I would leave a message on the machine.

The child agreed that would be best, noting, "I can't write yet."

If only everyone was so honest!