I never call in sick. However I have woke up with about 2 seconds to get into work, which is I-don't-know-how-many-miles away. Then I call and pretend a train has bust, or I've shit myself... something like that.
And not to change the subject - but there should probably be no death penalty period, but in a culture where for some, owning a gun is your perogative, then maybe its a good deterrant. Thing is, you shouldn't be able to convict a person one year into legal adulthood and put him to death, but not do the same for someone a year younger. It fucking stinks. There shouldn't be some kind of magic year where you become responsible. If you knew what you were doing, and its beyond reasonable doubt, you're as guilty as any similar fellon of any given age.
This puts out a message akin to: if you wanna see the world, do it while you're young. If you wanna commit murder, do it while you're young.