---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's you, \" I say. \"I know I'm late,\" he…"
description: "\"“It's you, \" I say. \"I know I'm late,\" he says.”\" — Becky Albertalli"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/becky-albertalli-5626_blue_it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says-1_1417538.jpg"
---

#  It's you, " I say. "I know I'm late," he says.

![“It's you, &quot; I say. &quot;I know I'm late,&quot; he says.” quote by Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/becky-albertalli-5626_blue_it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says-1_1417538.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/becky-albertalli-5626_blue_it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says-1_1417538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/becky-albertalli-5626_blue_it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says-1_1417538.jpg)

> ““It's you, " I say. "I know I'm late," he says.””

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Acknowledging tardiness with humor can ease tension and maintain rapport in conversation.

**In simple terms:** Humor eases awkward admissions.

Key Takeaway

Use light humor to admit mistakes.

Themes

communication humor social interaction

Mood

lighthearted relaxed

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- social gatherings
- customer service
- team meetings

Key Concepts

self‑deprecation timeliness

Questions to Reflect On

- How does humor affect your credibility?
- When is humor appropriate for apologies?

A Different Perspective

May seem unprofessional in formal settings.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/) [Know Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-late-509349/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Late Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late-says-5011312/) [Say Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-know/) [Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says/) [Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simon/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm late to everything. I've always wanted to have it written in my will that when I die, the coffin shows up a half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axl-rose/i-m-late-to-everything-i-ve-always-wanted-to-have-it-written-in-my/)

[Axl Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axl-rose/)

> [“I don't know how people do this. How Blue did this. Two words. Two freaking words, and I'm not the same Simon anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-don-t-know-how-people-do-this-how-blue-did-this-two-words-two/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> ['Simon' was such a charmed experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/simon-was-such-a-charmed-experience/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [One of the things that 'Love, Simon' is doing that hasn't been done before is it's a gay teen rom-com with a mainstream wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/one-of-the-things-that-love-simon-is-doing-that-hasn-t-been-done/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> ['Simon' was always a word-of-mouth book. When it came out in 2015, I don't know that anybody thought that 'Simon' could be mainstream. Publisher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/simon-was-always-a-word-of-mouth-book-when-it-came-out-in-2015-i-don/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“Youth was a condition defined by the fact that you don't know what you don't know until it's too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-gutcheon/youth-was-a-condition-defined-by-the-fact-that-you-don-t-know-what/)

[Beth Gutcheon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-gutcheon/)

> [Life can change in the blink of an eye. All you have is right now. So don’t ever put off telling someone how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-potter/life-can-change-in-the-blink-of-an-eye-all-you-have-is-right-now-so/)

[Alexandra Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-potter/)

> [Sometimes the things we complain most about are the things we care most about. Unfortunately we don't know until its too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan-r-sharma/sometimes-the-things-we-complain-most-about-are-the-things-we-care/)

[Sushan R Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan-r-sharma/)

> [To know that all is well, even if late will come to know it, is at least some gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/to-know-that-all-is-well-even-if-late-will-come-to-know-it-is-at/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

> [I know I'm late, but I've finally joined Facebook!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-clinton/i-know-i-m-late-but-i-ve-finally-joined-facebook/)

[Chelsea Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-clinton/)

> [“But I know to be up late is to be up late”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-i-know-to-be-up-late-is-to-be-up-late/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [A lot of people you think you know you don't know until you find out you don't know then it may be too late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/a-lot-of-people-you-think-you-know-you-don-t-know-until-you-find-out/)

[Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/)

> [“Jah know, sometimes I don’t learn till too late, and to know something too late? Well is better you never know as my mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-james/jah-know-sometimes-i-don-t-learn-till-too-late-and-to-know-something/)

[Marlon James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-james/)

> [Where do I go when I die, I'm guessing that I won't know until I get there, and then it will be to late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/where-do-i-go-when-i-die-i-m-guessing-that-i-won-t-know-until-i-get/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [Never allow any opportunity to pass you by, take charge of what matters to you and put love before everything, because you never know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-allow-any-opportunity-to-pass-you-by-take-charge-of-what/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Becky Albertalli

> [“I bring the leftovers to rehearsal, and Ms. Albright lets us have a cake picnic on the stage. And by cake picnic, I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-bring-the-leftovers-to-rehearsal-and-ms-albright-lets-us-have-a/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [When I read, I don't need a character to look like me, act like me, or think like me. I don't need to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/when-i-read-i-don-t-need-a-character-to-look-like-me-act-like-me-or/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“It’s just a lot of me. Way too much of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/it-s-just-a-lot-of-me-way-too-much-of-me/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“You don’t get to say it’s not a big thing. This is a big fucking thing, okay? This was supposed to be—this is mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/you-don-t-get-to-say-it-s-not-a-big-thing-this-is-a-big-fucking-thing/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [I think we're all a little bit caught up in the drama inside our own heads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-think-we-re-all-a-little-bit-caught-up-in-the-drama-inside-our-own/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> ['Simon' was such a charmed experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/simon-was-such-a-charmed-experience/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“I wish there were a secret signal you could use to communicate: HELLO. I AM OFFICIALLY COOL WITH SILENCE. Not”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-wish-there-were-a-secret-signal-you-could-use-to-communicate-hello/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“It’s really amazing, isn’t it? Someone can trigger your sexual identity crisis and not have a clue they’re doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/it-s-really-amazing-isn-t-it-someone-can-trigger-your-sexual-identity/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“Leah has a girlcrush on Jenny Lewis. You can't not have a crush on Jenny Lewis. I'm twenty years younger than her and unquestionably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/leah-has-a-girlcrush-on-jenny-lewis-you-can-t-not-have-a-crush-on/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“Same first name as a president and an obscure comic book character. Half-Jewish. Excellent grammar. Easily nauseated. Likes Reese's and Oreos (i.e. not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/same-first-name-as-a-president-and-an-obscure-comic-book-character/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“And suddenly, I feel like crying, but not in a bad way. More like in the way you feel when someone gives you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/and-suddenly-i-feel-like-crying-but-not-in-a-bad-way-more-like-in-the/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“I catch a sudden glimpse of myself in the mirror across the room. It's the weirdest thing. My hair is unbrushed. I'm wearing what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-catch-a-sudden-glimpse-of-myself-in-the-mirror-across-the-room-it-s/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“You can't imagine how much I hated middle school. Remember the way people would look at you blankly and say, "Um, okaaay," after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/you-can-t-imagine-how-much-i-hated-middle-school-remember-the-way/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“I mean, when you think about it, it’s a little fucked up that teachers think they get to dictate what you think about. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-mean-when-you-think-about-it-it-s-a-little-fucked-up-that-teachers/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

> [“Except, if I'm totally honest, I do believe it. Reid likes me. And I like that he likes me. But I'm not used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/except-if-i-m-totally-honest-i-do-believe-it-reid-likes-me-and-i-like/)

[Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

[Explore all 100 Becky Albertalli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/)

## More Blue quotes

> [When I haven't any blue I use red.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/when-i-haven-t-any-blue-i-use-red/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

> [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [If you're white and you're wrong, then you're wrong; if you're black and you're wrong, you're wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/if-you-re-white-and-you-re-wrong-then-you-re-wrong-if-you-re-black/)

[Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/)

> [Memory revises me. Even now a letter comes from a place I don’t know, from someone with my name and postmarked years ago, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-young-lee/memory-revises-me-even-now-a-letter-comes-from-a-place-i-don-t-know/)

[Li-Young Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-young-lee/)

> [Human beings should stick together. Honestly, if I see a red-haired person with blue eyes now, I say, 'Is your granny black?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/human-beings-should-stick-together-honestly-if-i-see-a-red-haired/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [The Louvre! The Louvre has me in its clutches. Every time I'm there rich blessings rain down upon me. I am coming to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-modersohn-becker/the-louvre-the-louvre-has-me-in-its-clutches-every-time-i-m-there/)

[Paula Modersohn-Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-modersohn-becker/)

> [We live in a state with a wonderful climate and plenty of natural beauty, from the shores of Cumberland Island to the Chattahoochee River…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-live-in-a-state-with-a-wonderful-climate-and-plenty-of-natural/)

[Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/)

> [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

> [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/)

[Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/)

> [Mother, she likes the blue material just fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/mother-she-likes-the-blue-material-just-fine/)

[Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/)

> [You know, I'm the only one in this family who has no problems, . . . And you know why? Because any time I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-i-m-the-only-one-in-this-family-who-has-no-problems-and-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [it'll be this kind of deep blue”she said. “The kind of color that somehow sucks your eyes and your ears and all your words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/it-ll-be-this-kind-of-deep-blue-she-said-the-kind-of-color-that/)

[Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/)

> [It is moonlight. Alone in the silence I ascend my stairs once more, While waves remote in pale blue starlight Crash on a white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-aiken/it-is-moonlight-alone-in-the-silence-i-ascend-my-stairs-once-more/)

[Conrad Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-aiken/)

> [The grape Hyacinth is the favorite spring flower of my garden - but no! I though a minute ago the Scilla was! and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-morse-earle/the-grape-hyacinth-is-the-favorite-spring-flower-of-my-garden-but-no/)

[Alice Morse Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-morse-earle/)

> [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/)

[Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/)

[Browse all 3,452 Blue quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It's you, \" I say. \"I know I'm late,\" he says.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Becky Albertalli"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Blue"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/becky-albertalli-5626_blue_it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says-1_1417538.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/becky-albertalli-5626_blue_it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says-1_1417538.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/becky-albertalli-5626_blue_it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says-1_1417538.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's you, \" I say. \"I know I'm late,\" he says.” — Becky Albertalli",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Becky Albertalli",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It's you, \" I say. \"I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/it-s-you-i-say-i-know-i-m-late-he-says/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
