APRIL 1, 2020 – Even in crisis, maintain humor, especially on April Fool’s Day.
On this day eons ago, our two sons devised what they thought was a brilliantly hilarious prank. In fact, it was brilliant in its simplicity, but hilarious only to our sons, since my wife or I was always on the receiving end. But over the course of time, long after our sons had left the nest, the same “brilliant” prank has seasoned its way into hilarity for the ol’ parents.
The prank parts are basic: (1) a kitchen faucet; (2) a kitchen sprayer plumbed to the faucet; and (3) a sturdy rubber band—the kind you pull off dual stalks of broccoli and save by hanging it on the back door knob of the door atop the stairs leading from the kitchen to the basement.
Setting up the prank is as simple as its components. First person up on April 1 (or last person to bed on March 31) (a) sneaks downstairs; (b) takes sturdy rubber band off door knob; (c) doubles rubber band over trigger of sprayer (keeping it depressed); (d) aims sprayer “appropriately”; and (e) shouts “April Fool’s!” when “victim” turns on faucet and yells, “A-a-h-h-h!”
Except . . . over the years, half the time the prankster forgets that he (or she) set up the prank in the first place and showers himself (herself), in which case, “April Fool’s!” becomes entirely self-directed—to the wholesale amusement of the intended victim.
But today, my wife, clever woman that she is, managed a whole new twist to our long-standing prank.
Thanks to The Crisis, she’d overlooked the importance of this day among an endless string of look-alike days. Truth be told, so had I, until . . .
I remembered! I quickly rigged the sprayer in the aforementioned manner and repaired to the living room to check the morning’s email. Not five minutes later . . . “A-a-h-h-h!” . . . followed by an expletive. Early April Fool’s Day score: Eric – 1; Beth – 0.
In accordance with tradition, the winner snapped a photo of the rigged sprayer and texted the score, with photo, to our two sons.
Suddenly, with stunning brilliance, my wife executed the ultimate, inescapable prank.
“Okay, Eric, I want to post a video of the prank,” she said.
“A video?” I said. “But you can’t. The prank already took place.”
“I know, but I want to stage it again, so I can video it and post for all our friends on Facebook.”
I was smart enough to know she wouldn’t let me video her. I had no choice but to play the “victim”!
It went south from there. After the first “take,” which left me plenty soaked, she said (laughing so hard, she barely got the words out), “Okay, let me review it . . .” As I passed over the threshold into the adjoining room, she called out, “Darn! We’ll have to do a retake! . . . Hey! You can’t go away! Come back here! We have to post a video on Facebook!”
So, doubly soaked, I had to hear her say (again), “April Fool’s!”
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© 2020 by Eric Nilsson
