bunbury

JACK: This ghastly state of things is what you'd call Bunburying, I suppose.
ALGERNON: Yes, and a perfectly wonderful Bunbury it is. The most wonderful Bunbury I have ever had in my life.
JACK: Well, you've no right whatsoever to Bunbury here.
ALGERNON: That is absurd. One has a right to Bunbury anywhere one chooses. Every serious Bunburyist knows that.
JACK: Serious Bunburyist! Good heavens!
-The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde

noun: An imaginary person whose name is used as an excuse to some purpose, especially to visit a place.
verb intr: To use the name of a fictitious person as an excuse.

Bunbury's also used in Jonathan Ames's "The Extra Man." As in "Earnest," he's a made-up guy; they use him to disguise where they've truly been, so that they'll remain mysteries to each other. "I was out with Bunbury."

Thanks for the interesting article, trivet.

Pastime of Algernon Moncrieff and
these birds.