open/close all folders
Comic Books
"Not that we wouldn't enjoy some prison food, but we have to — we have to go oil Iron Man before he rusts!"
— The Avengers, Marvel Adventures
Linda Danvers: Excuse me, Lena— Suddenly I don't feel so well...
Lena Colby: Sure, Linda (thinking) But I bet you will... after you find a place to switch to Supergirl!
Lena Colby: Sure, Linda (thinking) But I bet you will... after you find a place to switch to Supergirl!
Fan Works
"OH, hey, I think I hear Nora getting caught in the vending machine again, so I have to go take care of that okthanksforthelessonbye!"
— Jaune Arc, Jaune Arc, Lord of Hunger
Makoto: Yeah. That's cool and all, but I'm already Late for School, so…
[he starts leaving the house]
Gabriel: But it's Sunday!
[he starts leaving the house]
Gabriel: But it's Sunday!
Film
"You see, the problem here is... is that my little brother, this morning, got his arm caught in the microwave and... and uh... my grandmother dropped acid and she freaked out and hijacked a school bus full of... penguins, so it's kinda a family crisis. So come back later? Great!"
— Lane Meyer, Better Off Dead
Woman: Hey guys! I need a quick gigolo fix. What do you say?
Enzo: Uh, I'm judging a sand castle building competition this afternoon so...I can't help you.
Mahmoud: The dog ate my... penis.
Enzo: Uh, I'm judging a sand castle building competition this afternoon so...I can't help you.
Mahmoud: The dog ate my... penis.
Ned: So, what are you doing for dinner?
Phil: Ummm... something else.
Phil: Ummm... something else.
Literature
Piglet: I think... I think that I have just remembered something. I have just remembered something that I forgot to do yesterday and shan't be able to do tomorrow. So I suppose I really ought to go back and do it now.
Winnie-the-Pooh: We'll do it this afternoon, and I'll come with you.
Piglet: It isn't the sort of thing you can do in the afternoon. It's a very particular morning thing that has to be done in the morning and, if possible, between the hours of—- What would you say the time was?
Winnie-the-Pooh: About twelve.
Piglet: Between, as I was saying, the hours of twelve and twelve five.
Winnie-the-Pooh: We'll do it this afternoon, and I'll come with you.
Piglet: It isn't the sort of thing you can do in the afternoon. It's a very particular morning thing that has to be done in the morning and, if possible, between the hours of—- What would you say the time was?
Winnie-the-Pooh: About twelve.
Piglet: Between, as I was saying, the hours of twelve and twelve five.
— Winnie the Pooh, "Pooh and Piglet Go Hunting and Nearly Catch a Woozle"
Live-Action TV
"I have to, uh... go get my foot measured."
— Joe, Wings
"Well, I'd better be going. I left a patient on the operating table."
— Dr. Bashir, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
[backing away] "I just remembered I left my cat... on the stove."
"Then I have enough time to go back to the ship and get my saddle."
— Captain Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation note
"Ah, I think I've left an insurance policy on the stove. Sorry, milk, on the stove. I'd better check the policy... er, s-... milk... stove."
— Dorien Green, Birds of a Feather, "Stand By Your Man"
"Would you...um...just excuse me a minute? I've... um... left something... somewhere."
— Laura Lancing, The Brittas Empire, "The Old, Old Story"
Music
"Stacy had a headache, Jenny was in jail
Brenda had to work late, Kate was getting Jenny's bail
Angela got scurvy, Ashley caught a cold
Sally's dad exploded, that's what I was told
Michelle had to play checkers, Ann was baking pies
Wendy's dad exploded too, that might have been a lie
Pam had frisbee lessons, Stella had ballet
Now I'm by myself, but I can have fun anyway"
Brenda had to work late, Kate was getting Jenny's bail
Angela got scurvy, Ashley caught a cold
Sally's dad exploded, that's what I was told
Michelle had to play checkers, Ann was baking pies
Wendy's dad exploded too, that might have been a lie
Pam had frisbee lessons, Stella had ballet
Now I'm by myself, but I can have fun anyway"
— Ninja Sex Party, "Orgy for One"
I hate to leave off before the last refrain
But my suit is made of paper, and it feels like rain
But my suit is made of paper, and it feels like rain
— Al Duvall, "Labias & Genitalmen"
Video Games
"Ah, I've remembered an errand. A very pressing, very distant errand."
— Ringabel, Bravely Default
"Wow! Wouldja look at my wrist it's half past the time for... being places, so excuse us!"
— Daichi, Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker
"WHOOPSIE DOOPSIE! I JUST REMEMBERED!
I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
YOU TWO HAVE FUN!"
[jumps out a window]
I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
YOU TWO HAVE FUN!"
[jumps out a window]
— Papyrus the Skeleton, Undertale note
Homer (internally): Oh no, I borrowed all of Flanders' stuff. Quick, think of an excuse to get out of here.
Homer: Uh, excuse me, I have to go...shuck some corn.
Homer: Uh, excuse me, I have to go...shuck some corn.
"I never said anything like that! You know what, there's... a bunch of mortals I have to go fetch. Good-bye."
— Thanatos, Hades
Missy Sayers: Would you be a dear and take this package of incontinence briefs home with you to your mother?
Eclair: What's that, Mrs. Sayer? I... I didn't get that. I think I hear my mother calling. Gotta go!
— Perpetual Change
"Yeaaah... Yeah. I've, uh... got to go deflavourize the Brobot's, uh...Flavourizer. I'll return once everything's up to code. L-ater, Dimentio."
— Mr. L, Super Paper Mario
Web Animation
[after destroying the White House with the A.R.K space colony's Wave-Motion Gun] "Uh...I'm gonna...uh...I'm gonna go to the bathroom."
N: [His sensors begin to work again as he now remembers his talk with Uzi, now knowing she was a Worker Drone] Oh...
[N turns to Uzi, to see she's vanished with a long footprint track behind her]
N: OHHH..! [Turns to his teammates] Y'know, I left an- an extremely dangerous weapo- an excuse o-outside!
[N runs after the footprints]
[V and J both look at him with suspicious looks; V pops out a "Bang!" Flag Gun reading "Literally so insanely suspicious"]
[N turns to Uzi, to see she's vanished with a long footprint track behind her]
N: OHHH..! [Turns to his teammates] Y'know, I left an- an extremely dangerous weapo- an excuse o-outside!
[N runs after the footprints]
[V and J both look at him with suspicious looks; V pops out a "Bang!" Flag Gun reading "Literally so insanely suspicious"]
— Murder Drones, "Pilot"
Webcomics
Bitty: Haha- um. Oh dear! Well, wouldn't you know it — I totally forgot that I left a pie baking. In the library. Well, no need to wait for me— y'all go on ahead to breakfast! Um. Bye now!
Jack: The sad thing is, I can tell he's lying not because of the library part? But because he'd never leave a pie unattended.
Jack: The sad thing is, I can tell he's lying not because of the library part? But because he'd never leave a pie unattended.
"Mum— Mum— Mum! I have to call you back! Mum, I—Mum I'm on fire, good bye!"
— Milo elegantly ending a phone conversation, Tripping Over You, #7.20
Antimony: Well then! If you will excuse me. I have to... find... a... book.
[Beat Panel]
[Antimony hurries away]
Ali: She's not very subtle, is she?
[Beat Panel]
[Antimony hurries away]
Ali: She's not very subtle, is she?
— Gunnerkrigg Court, p.245
"Hmm." [clock ticking] "Well, I better go." [standing up] "I think I... something."
— Anthony Carver, Gunnerkrigg Court, p.2388
"This feels like one of those moments where I'm supposed to make an excuse to leave you two alone, but I'm bad at thinking up excuses."
Web Original
"Oh... goodness– look at my wrist– I gotta go!"
— The watchless Billy, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Tubbo: Would you like me to be completely transparent with you?
Wilbur: Yeah, what did you tell Schlatt?
Tubbo: I told him I was pregnant.
[Beat]
Techno: We're gonna need another forest…
Wilbur: Yeah, what did you tell Schlatt?
Tubbo: I told him I was pregnant.
[Beat]
Techno: We're gonna need another forest…
"Oh, look, is that the time? Um, I have to go and watch paint dry! Goodbye, guys!" [runs for it]
— Sqaishey, FunBot 200,000
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum... I have to poop, now?"
— Deandra, The Most Popular Girls in School
Western Animation
"Yeah, You Know, I just remembered, I got to..." [runs away from the room] "runawayveryquicklyoutoftheroombye!"
— Delgado, 101 Dalmatian Street
"Uh, sorry. I forgot I'm supposed to air-sit — I mean baby-bend — I-I mean, babysit the airbender kids. See you later!"
— Korra, The Legend of Korra
"I think that I just remembered something that I forgot to do yesterday and shan't be able to do tomorrow so I suppose I better go back and do it now!"
— Piglet, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Adorabat: Today I have, uh, physics...recital?
Mao Mao: That's not a thing.
Francine: I'm gonna go... doesn't matter, you're not listening.
Stan: Whatever, surprise us.
Stan: Whatever, surprise us.
"I, uh... have to go do anything else."
— Blythe Baxter, Littlest Pet Shop
"NON-SPECIFIC EXCUSE!"
— Grunkle Stan, Gravity Falls
Amy: I gotta...go...water my cat. Yeah, I'm gonna go with that.
Knuckles: I'm afraid she's overwatering that cat.
Knuckles: I'm afraid she's overwatering that cat.
— Amy, Sonic Boom, "Fuzzy Puppy Buddies"
"Now if you'll excuse me, I accidentally left my excuse generator on."
— Dr. Eggman, Sonic Boom, "Mech Suits Me"
Anakin: First, we have that thing to do.
Rex: Uh… what thing?
Anakin: You know.
Rex: ...We don't have time for that, sir.
Anakin: Yes, we do.
Hunter: Well, I'll just leave you two to sort this out.
Rex: Uh… what thing?
Anakin: You know.
Rex: ...We don't have time for that, sir.
Anakin: Yes, we do.
Hunter: Well, I'll just leave you two to sort this out.
— Star Wars: The Clone Wars, "A Distant Echo", regarding Anakin making a private call to his secret wife
"I need to... move something from someplace to someplace else."
— Mariella Lorraine, Martha Speaks
"Oh, sorry! Can't stop! Got to see a coach about a train!"
— Thomas, Thomas & Friends, "Ghost Train"
Bill: Oh, flip flabbit! Uh... You know what, guys? Uh... I forgot uh-buh-duh, big farm thing to, garden... Big garm-ff- fardening...
Cricket: No prob, Dad. Good luck with the garm farden.
Cricket: No prob, Dad. Good luck with the garm farden.
— Big City Greens, "Dirt Jar"
"Um, I can't stay to talk. I left my car in my wallet."
— Zahra, Glitch Techs
Gumball: Well, I'd love to, Carrie, but unfortunately, I have to go check on my meatloaf.
Carrie: Your meatloaf?
Gumball: Yeah, I left it in my locker.
Carrie: You mean this locker? [slams Gumball's empty locker]
Gumball: Ugh, no, my, my gym locker.
Carrie: You don't have a gym locker.
Gumball: Yes! I meant... Jim's locker.
Carrie: Who's Jim?
Gumball: He's, uh, my doctor...?
Carrie: You mean your meatloaf is in your doctor's locker, here at school?
Gumball: Yeah, it's because we're having Thanksgiving here and— oh, whatever, you can have my body.
Carrie: Your meatloaf?
Gumball: Yeah, I left it in my locker.
Carrie: You mean this locker? [slams Gumball's empty locker]
Gumball: Ugh, no, my, my gym locker.
Carrie: You don't have a gym locker.
Gumball: Yes! I meant... Jim's locker.
Carrie: Who's Jim?
Gumball: He's, uh, my doctor...?
Carrie: You mean your meatloaf is in your doctor's locker, here at school?
Gumball: Yeah, it's because we're having Thanksgiving here and— oh, whatever, you can have my body.
