Day 57
April Fool’s! I get my penchant for corniness from my dad … the one with a gazillion stories, riddles, mind puzzles and corny jokes. The cornier the better.
However, the prankster in me comes from ??? … I think perhaps my maternal grandfather … my mom’s dad … Grandpa T. He was a Barney Fife type of guy in looks and growing up I adored him. He had a quiet love of humor about him. When little I’d stay with he and my grandma on overnights … LOVED those overnights even though he made me eat waxed beans. He’d come home from work and open the front hall closet and put his hat away (he always wore a fedora style hat). However, it was the way he put it away that was a constant whenever I was over … because he’d hand it to the Closet Monster who lived there, carry on a short conversation and thank the CM for taking care of his hat! So, you know that whenever I had to pass that closet I would get as far on the other side of that 30″ hallway as possible!
Pranking me … and it wasn’t even April Fool’s Day! I loved it!
When I was in high school my friends and I would do stupid stuff to each other … those chums of yore that would not judge my lunch of a hot dog every day during freshman year (every day!) or a Hostess Hoho and a carton of milk every day as a sophmore … those that shared inside jokes and teenage angst … all now scattered to the wind like the seeds of a dandelion puff. Wish I could pull some stupid prank on Bob or Guiermo Bill … I know they’d appreciate my efforts and lunacy.
When my kids were growing up I’d, without fail, pull out the FAKE BOLOGNA slice and put it in someone’s sandwich. It was from some kitchen playset we had and it was a perfect plastic replica of good ol’ Oscar Meyer. I never heard more than, “Thanks for the BOLONEY, mom!” when we’d discuss the day over dinner … I’m sure they groaned every year at my idiocy and persistence (and repetition!).
Over the years I’d wake them up and tell them there was a raccoon on the roof by their window, or a purple moon expected at night or some other non-harmful goofiness which always ended in an “April Fool’s!”.
This year I did NOTHING. I am so disappointed in myself! No saran wrap over the toilet seat (I’m the only one using it and it kind of defeats the purpose) … no salt in the sugar bowl … no shaving cream in the palm of someone’s hand (we used to do that at sleep overs – great fun!). How boring!
So, I bid adieu to this April Fool’s with only thinking that the joke’s on me this time … packing and packing and packing … I didn’t take time out for some fun. And there should ALWAYS be time for fun!
I’ve got about 3 hours left of the day … wonder who I can still get?!
April Fool’s!!!!