Can you top this excuse for being late to a dinner party?

I would like to hear if anyone can top this excuse for being late to a dinner party. Last night we were invited to a small gathering of people, some we knew and some were from NOB, for a little gathering and then dinner at a traditional Méxican restaurant.

Jo Ann and I were waiting for our maid to finish up for the day so we could drive her home when I noticed that our four burros had gotten loose. When we had brought them into the corral yesterday afternoon, we must not have properly closed the gate and there they were running around our pasture foot lose and fancy free.

One of the men who are helping us with our reforestation project and I took off with the tethers to catch them. I still can not believe how fast they can run given how large and heavy they are. After chasing them for about 20 minutes, I finally was able to catch two and put the tethers on them. I gave these to Luis to handle while I continued my chase after the other two. Although I was not able to catch them, I was able to herd them back to the corral where Jo Ann lured them in with allusions of alfalfa.

I then had to run back to the far side of the rancho to help Luis bring the other two back as the small one refused to move and he could not get them to budge. So another ten or fifteen minutes pass and we finally have all of them in the corral.

Off I go back to the casa to change again and we finally head off to the party. We finally make it there about 40 minutes late, even after considering the normal socially accepted time of arrival. Our story was told several time and always got a good laugh as this can only happen in México. It sure would not be a good excuse in New York, Chicago or San Francisco.

So can you top it?