The First of April

You'd imagine this would be my favorite holiday, but it really isn't. I've already rallied enough against the idea of holidays in the first place - I don't think I'd need to rail too much more on the concept of playing a joke on someone when they know it's coming.

My friends and I really never played April Fools jokes on each other - I think it's because we spent the other 364 days of the year harassing each other. And because we're lazy. I did pull one on my parents a few years ago that continues to be my favorite small-investment prank so far.

My senior year of college, I called my parents on April One while I was out with some friends eating lunch. My mother answered, and I told her that she should get my father in on the conversation as well. I then proceeded to tell them that because of some struggling I was doing with an exit-course, I wasn't going to be able to graduate on time. I wouldn't walk the stage in May. I had done everything I could with this class, but I had just gotten word that it was a mathematical impossibility for me pass it.

Graduation, like I'm sure for most, was a giant deal. My grandparents were coming into town from Arkansas along with my second-cousins (who had partially, and graciously funded my books while I was studying), and now all of that was ruined because I couldn't keep my head above water in a class within my major.

My favorite part was the level-headedness of my mother's response. I think sometimes that pranks are simple practice tests for bad news, litmus tests for how someone reacts to the unfortunate. My mother passed. She told me that all we could do was talk to the professor, look into taking the course over the summer and walking in August. The worst case scenario would be having to take it in the fall and walking in December. Of course, all of this was a major deal because of the investment that college is. I doubt seriously that my parents would feel any iota of shame if their son had spent an extra semester in school or 5 or 6 extra even. But it costs a lot. And we were hyper-aware of that.

I figured that was enough torture, so I told them both it was a joke. A great April Fools joke. They were obviously relieved.

I can think of nothing better to spend my time on than humor. It's a great psychological study. It shows what we fear, what we hope for, what shocks us. It's a study in humanity without fences. When someone is laughing, they are completely vulnerable. You can't hide yourself or put up a wall against something funny - whether you're on the giving or receiving end of the joke.

If you want to know who someone is, prepare them to laugh.