April Fool's Day

My 6 year old is just beginning to understand the concept of this day. Last year, we swapped silly jokes on each other, but yesterday, she said to me, "I'm not really a joker. I don't want to play jokes on people."

"That's okay," I said. "You don't have to."

She looked confused. "But isn't it April Fool's Day tomorrow?"

"Yes," I said. "That's the day when fools play jokes. You don't have to be a fool if you don't want to."

And so this year, the day went by without so much as one little joke.

Watching my daughter learn what it is all about reminds me of my first April Fool's experience. Everybody played jokes on me. "Rita, your shoe is untied." "Rita, there is something on your head." And I didn't have a clue how to play the game.

My mom let me call a friend and tell her that her shoe was untied. I think I must've been about 4, maybe 5. But not likely any older because we were still living in Wisconsin. It seemed kinda silly to tell someone over the phone that their shoe was untied when I couldn't even see her shoes. But all the same, it was fun to chime in--as everyone else had been doing to me all day--"April Fool's!"

Years later, my mom and her coworkers played a great joke on their boss. Everyone called in sick on the same day, and then they all walked into the office at the same time, chiming in together, "April Fool's!"

But I've never really played a good April Fool's trick. Maybe it's my Sagittarian honesty. Maybe it's that I'm just not witty enough for something like that. Maybe it's the fact that as an adult the day doesn't really impress me anymore. But really, the only trick I ever remember is that one when I was four years old.

So what are your favorite tricks? Leave a comment and share your story.