💬 Friend was late because of a wedding procession that never happened

My friend Faisal was 50 minutes late to my birthday dinner last year. His excuse was perfect. He said there was a big wedding procession blocking the road near Mehdipatnam. Drums, horse, everything. He even said the horse was white. I remember that, because I was impressed by the detail. Everybody nodded. Someone said wedding season, what to do, and we ordered. Nobody questioned him. Then my cousin, who lives on that exact road, looked up from his plate. He said, there was nothing there today. I walked down at 8, the road was empty. Faisal didn't blink. He said, maybe it was the next street. My cousin said, that road has no next street. The table went completely silent for about 3 seconds. Then 8 people started laughing at once. He still hasn't told us the real reason. I think he fell asleep, but he swears he didn't. We've asked him 6 or 7 times now. He just says, the horse was real. Every single time. Now whenever any of us is late, the message is always the same. Sorry, wedding procession. Nobody in our group has ever been late for a real wedding procession, I'd say. Last week he turned up 10 minutes early and we all stood up and clapped for him. He looked hurt. He said he'd been planning to be on time for weeks. The horse thing has now been going for a year and nobody wants it to end. I'm already planning what he'll say for my next birthday. Probably a camel this time.

The white horse really is the signature of the lie. Nobody invents a horse unless they are fully committed. A colleague once told us his bike broke down near the airport, and 3 of us checked his Instagram stories that evening. He was at a mall. Did Faisal confess in the end, or did he stick to the horse? I would have asked your cousin to keep quiet till dessert.

The white horse is what makes it art. Nobody adds a horse unless they're fully committed to the lie. A colleague of mine once blamed a pipe burst near Tolichowki, and I live 4 minutes from there.