Alibi Encyclopedia · sci-fi
I Was an Accidental Time Traveler
You were briefly in 1873 and then briefly in 2147. Either way, you missed the meeting.
The scenario
You stepped into the elevator, the lights flickered, and when the doors opened you were in a different century. You came back. You're sorry.
The first jump was 1873. You knew because the elevator was suddenly a stagecoach, the smell was overwhelming, and a man in a stovepipe hat asked if you were a 'photograph.' You said no, that's a phone, and that's when the photograph man fainted, which felt like a moral victory.
The second jump dropped you into 2147, where everyone seemed kind, vaguely glowing, and very concerned about your 'low-resolution face.' You apologized. They forgave you. A small robot offered you a snack that tasted like nostalgia. When you blinked, you were back in your office building's lobby, holding a mostly-cold coffee, only twenty minutes late.
Honestly, considering what just happened to you, twenty minutes seems generous.
Why it works
This one rewards commitment. Played with a totally straight face, it sidesteps the usual 'is this real' tension and goes straight to 'I cannot argue with this, let's just start the meeting.'
How to deliver it
- ★Deliver in writing. Time travel demands paragraphs.
- ★Add one specific historical detail. Pick a year nobody remembers.
- ★Never break. The bit only works if you commit.
- ★Apologize for being 'temporally inconvenienced,' not just late.
Want randomness to pick your next alibi?
Spin the slot machineRelated alibis
- Alien Training ProgramTechnically you're not supposed to talk about it, but you're already late, so you might as well.
- Stuck in a Medieval FestivalTook a shortcut, ended up in a town square that doesn't appear on any map, watched a jousting tournament.
- Accidentally Joined a CircusQuick errand. Wrong door. Ringmaster very persuasive. You're now contractually a fire-eater.