April Fool's Day Joke
Trading Pranks against Mom
For several years, my mother and I worked hard to dupe the other into some intricate April Fool's joke. It started simple with a call from the kitchen, "Look! There's some big dog in the yard." There was no dog, only a raucous, "April Fool's!"
The following year, I got her with the same. The pranks amped up. But, we both became guarded against any information from the other.
Finally, one year, when time just barely encroached into April first (I think it was 2 a.m. or something), my mother burst into my room. She was yelling, "Fire! Fire! Get out of the house! Get out of the house!" In a complete daze, I jumped up. I was wearing some standard 11 year-old tighty-whiteys as I dashed down the hall, fumbled with the dead bolt, and swung open the front door. It was California foggy standing out on the grass.
But, I could see something was wrong. My head began to clear. I asked the most obvious question as I began to panic, "Where are my sisters? Where are my sisters!?" As I started back into the house, I looked at the giant grin on Mom's face. She caught the moment of recognition as the truth dawned. She was still holding her knees, laughing too hard to move as I squeezed past her into the house.
Year's later, I got her very, very good. But that's another story!