Growingupasachild,AprilFoolsDaywastheoneholidayIneverfeltcleverenoughtotakepartin.IwascreativeenoughtomakeacostumeforHalloween,orbakeadozenheart-shapedcookiesonValentinesDay,butIneverhadanygoodideasforplayingpranks.
Inelementaryschool,allmyclassmateswouldprepareajoketoplayonAprilFoolsDay.Thejokewasusuallymeanttobeplayedontheteacher,and,foraweekinadvance,allthestudentswouldgettogetheratlunchtoplanoutwhattheprankwasgoingtobe.Thiswentonforyears-sinceIwenttoagradeschoolwiththesamethirtystudentsforallofprimaryschool.
TheringleaderofourclasswasaboynamedMichael,andMichaelalwayscameupwiththebestpranks.Whenwewereinthefourthgradeheconvincedusalltowearregularclothesinsteadofourschooluniforms-eventhoughwedidn havepermissionto.Inthesixthgrade,hegotusalltoagreetoswitchidentitiessothatwhentheteachercalledonme,Iwouldn answerformyself-insteadanotherclassmatewouldspeak.
Ourteachersalwaysputupwithoursillyantics,eveniftheywerechildish.TheyalwaysknewthatMichaelwasinchargeofourjokesaswell,buttheyneverpunishedhim.Theyseemedtounderstandthataschildrenwewereentitledtoabitoffun,more-overthatMichaelgotalotofjoyfromorganizingthewholethingandmakinguslaughwithhiscrazyideas.
InmyfinalyearofprimaryschoolMichaeldecidedthatforAprilFoolsDayweneededtoplayourbestprankyet.Weallgottogetherasaclass-allfifteenboysandfifteengirls-andstartedspittingoutideasleftandright.Michaelreallywantedittobesomethingnooneatschoolwouldeverforget,soalotoftheideasgotrejected.NoonequestionedwhenMichaelshotdownanidea.Hewasthekingofpranks,sowelistenedtoallofhissuggestionsandcriticisms.
Idneverreallyspokenupduringthisyearlyritual,butsomethinginmewantedtobeapartofitthisyear.ItwasmylastyearbeforehighschoolwastobeginandIwantedtothinkthatinourfinalscam,Iwouldbeanintegralpartoftheplan.Iwantedtousemycreativityforachangeandmakeeverybodylaugh.
Onthethirddayofourmeetings,thewholeclassgottogetheratlunchandsatinourusualspotunderneatharowoftreesnexttothesoccerfield.Sandwichesandjuiceboxesinhand,peoplestartedtoonceagainfeedourring-leaderideas-eachofwhichhediscarded.Finally,Idecidedthatmaybemyideawasgoodenough.IwasprettypositiveMichaelwouldn thinkitwiseenough,butIfigureditwasworthashot.Besides,afterallthoseyearsofsittingquietlyandagreeingtowhateveritwashethoughtof,Ireallyhadnothingtolose.Evenifmyideawasn "funnyenough"IfiguredeveryonewouldbeshockedthatIeventhoughtofsomething.Thatwasreasonenoughformetogetupandgiveitago.
Puttingmylunchdown,Istoodupinfrontofmyclassmatesandgaveasuggestion."Everyyearweplayaprankhereattheschool.Howabout,thisyear,wedon .Howaboutweplaytheprankfromoutsideofschool?"Michaelchimedin,"Howarewesupposedtomanagethat?Idon thinkIfollow."
"Well,"Iwenton,"Isuggestthatwedon evenshowupforschool.Ithinkourwholeclassshouldbeabsent."Everybodystaredatmeincompleteshock.Anentireclassofthirtystudents,beingabsentonthesamedaywouldbeanabsoluteriot.Michaelhasabiggrinonhisface,buttheotherstudentshadalotofquestions.
"HowwillweconvinceALLourparentstoletusstayhome?Thechancesofeachofusgettingthemtoallowitareslimtonone.Ifonepersonshowsupbecausetheirparentsforcethemtogo,thentheprankisruined."
Icouldseemyideawasn winningthemover,butthenMichaelsteppedin,"Hey,IthinkRaquelhasagreatidea!Thiscouldbethefunniestthingwedo.Raquel,Ithinkyoufoundawinner."AssoonasMichaelacceptedmyidea,slowlyeveryoneelsedidtoo.Icouldseetheythoughtitwasfunny,buttheywerejustworrieditwouldn work.
AprilFoolsdayfinallyarrivedandwesetourplanintomotion.Thenightbeforesomestudentsfakedastomachacheafterdinner.Someofmyclassmatesfakedfeversthatmorning.Oneortwostudentsactuallyhadbeensickandcouldn getoutofbed.ItoldmyparentsthatIhadanawfulheadacheandneededtostayhome.
Knowingwhatdayitwas,myparentsaskedifIwasjoking.Itoldthem,"Areyoukidding?TodayweweregoingtoplaythebestprankeveronMrs.Butler,andIamsomadImgoingtomissit!Ireallyamfeelingsickthough,andIthinkitsbetterIstayin.IwishIcouldbethere,butIjustfeelterrible."Myparents,knowinghowourclasswaswellknownforitspranks,believedthatIwassadaboutmissingoutandallowedmetostayin.Littledidtheyknow,thiswastheprank!
ThenextdayweallshoweduptoclassandsangtoMrs.Butler"AprilFools!"Shelaughedandsmiledandgaveusaroundofapplause."ThatwasthebestAprilFoolsjokethathaseverbeenpulledonme!"shesaid."Anyjokethatgivesmeadayoffofworkisfinebyme."
Iwasproudofmyselfforgettingthecouragetosuggesttheprank,andIwasevenmoreproudthatpeoplelikedit-includingmyteacher.ItwasamomentinmychildhoodthatIllneverforget,andImsuretheschoolneverhaseither.
