Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the biggest liar of them all?

Often white-collar workers in cities make it to work late, thanks to traffic gridlocks and the late running of suburban trains and buses. But there are compulsive latecomers who lie their way out of trouble and their superiors' censure, citing these very travel hazards as excuses for lateness. Occasionally the lies are seen through, though. Author Charles Lamb, who once worked as a clerk in the East India Company office, was not as fortunate as modern-day officegoers. A chronic latecomer at work, Lamb had no excuses to account for his tardiness. And he was truthful. When his boss sought an explanation for his unpunctuality, Lamb replied coolly, "Sir, though I always arrive late, I make up for it by leaving the office early."