
Take The Day Off: Excuses That Only Work in Montana
In the past 150 years, humanity has leapt from horse-drawn buggies to electric cars, from rotary phones to the smartphones we can't live without. In the past few years, we've taken another monumental step: artificial intelligence.
AI is a fascinating yet nerve-wracking innovation—Pandora's box of possibilities, if you will. Debating whether or not AI is good or bad is not what we are here for today. What we do know is that it can at least be entertaining.

To test this theory, we asked AI to devise 5 funny Montana-inspired excuses to give your boss when you can't make it to work. Let's see if the robots nailed it!
Prompted Question into ChatGPT: "What are some creative excuses to tell your boss to get out of work? Make these uniquely Montanan."
#5 The elk have decided to make my driveway a part of their migration route. I can't come to work until they move out of the way!
This excuse is spot on for our area. With an elk population of just over 140,000 in Montana, this might be a good one to save for migration season (late fall - early winter).
#4 I had to explain to a tourist why they shouldn't pet the fluffy cow... AKA Bison.
There seems to be some type of animal-and-tourist altercation reported every year. Despite all the warnings, someone inevitably decides that a 2,000-pound wild animal looks like it needs a cuddle. Explaining the difference between a bison and a petting zoo animal is practically a Montana rite of passage at this point.
#3 My truck is under a mountain of snow! I have to dig it out of the wind drift.
Check the weather before using this excuse, as snow and wind are necessary. It's common for snow drifts to accumulate several feet overnight in open areas around here.
#2 The below-freezing temperatures last night killed my car battery.
Cold temperatures are typical here in Big Sky Country. Just this month, temperatures dipped into the negatives. Freezing temps can wreak havoc on a car battery if you don't have a toasty garage to store it in, or sometimes batteries just give out.
#1 The wind is currently taking my trash can for a walk into the next county.
Wind in Montana is known to be aggressive. Flipped-over semi-trucks on i-90 are a common occurrence, and they could easily blow away a trash can if left unsecured.
Credit: fwp.mt
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