Really sorry I missed school, Miss … but look, I’ve got a note from The Boss

It certainly beats the traditional “He’s got a dentist’s appointment” kind of school absence note. When Michael Fenerty needed an excuse to skip lessons he got one from The Boss - aka rock superstar Bruce Springsteen. The fifth-grader went to meet the musician at a book signing when he should have been in lessons and persuaded him to sign a note he had printed beforehand. The Born to Run singer was happy to oblige… after checking it first. “I have to read it first, that’s how I got in trouble with my first contract,” he told the youngster.

My son said, `Bruce, would you sign my absence note?’ He lit up

Michael’s father, Mike

Springsteen was in Philadelphia to promote his new autobiography and Michael went with his teacher-turned-lawyer father, Mike, to meet him. But when they realised he’d be missing lessons they typed out a note and sneaked into the signing session in the city’s Free Library. Mr Fenerty, an avid Springsteen fan and memorabilia collector, said: “He said, ‘I hope you don’t get in trouble.’ My son was very starstruck — it was a very cool experience.” When they got to school, Mr Fenerty was, unsuprisingly, unwilling to hand over the original to the principal. “I only gave her a photocopy,” he said.

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