Bet Yo-Yo Weren’t Expecting That

(When I was in high school, I was a member of a very good youth orchestra. My sophomore year, we get to perform with Yo-Yo Ma, which necessitates some very late night rehearsals about two hours away from where I live. Unfortunately, one of them is the day before I have a huge oral presentation due in English.)

Me: *to first-period Latin teacher* “So, I’m going to be in Boston really late tonight to rehearse with Yo-Yo Ma, and I’m not going to get home till after midnight. Would it be okay if I sleep through class tomorrow?”

Teacher: “Tell you what. If you get me his autograph, you can sleep the whole time.”

Me: “Okay!”

(I duly went off to rehearsal that night, got home at one am, and was up at five to shower before catching the bus, arriving at school in a fairly zombie-like state.)

Me: *presenting autograph* “Here you go!” *yawn* “Gonna nap now.”

Teacher: “Um… yeah. Go sleep. It’s fine.”

Me: *staggering to back row to collapse*

(It didn’t occur to me until MUCH later that my teacher probably thought I was lying and didn’t really know what to do when I actually turned up with the autograph! I aced the English presentation, though, thanks in no small part to the power nap.)