Another good (and sincere) line
From a student whose family owns a farm, and wants him to become a successful engineer after college:
“Teacher, I had to miss class yesterday. But I have a good reason.”
“What was the reason?”
“My sheep had a baby. It went into labor before the sun came up and I had to stay with her, then the baby came later that day. I did not have time to come to school. Can my absence be excused?”
I did excuse him. In fact it was probably the best excuse I had from one of my students for that entire semester.
