Growing up as a child, April Fools Day was the one holiday I never felt clever enough to take part in. I was creative enough to make a costume for Halloween, or bake a dozen heart-shaped cookies on Valentine's Day, but I never had any good ideas for playing pranks.
In elementary school, all my classmates would prepare a joke to play on April Fools Day. The joke was usually meant to be played on the teacher, and, for a week in advance, all the students would get together at lunch to plan out what the prank was going to be. This went on for years- since I went to a grade school with the same thirty students for all of primary school.
The ring leader of our class was a boy named Michael, and Michael always came up with the best pranks. When we were in the fourth grade he convinced us all to wear regular clothes instead of our school uniforms- even though we didn't have permission to. In the sixth grade, he got us all to agree to switch identities so that when the teacher called on me, I wouldn't answer for myself- instead another classmate would speak.
Our teachers always put up with our silly antics, even if they were childish. They always knew that Michael was in charge of our jokes as well, but they never punished him. They seemed to understand that as children we were entitled to a bit of fun, more-over that Michael got a lot of joy from organizing the whole thing and making us laugh with his crazy ideas.
In my final year of primary school Michael decided that for April Fools Day we needed to play our best prank yet. We all got together as a class- all fifteen boys and fifteen girls- and started spitting out ideas left and right. Michael really wanted it to be something no one at school would ever forget, so a lot of the ideas got rejected. No one questioned when Michael shot down an idea. He was the king of pranks, so we listened to all of his suggestions and criticisms.
I'd never really spoken up during this yearly ritual, but something in me wanted to be a part of it this year. It was my last year before high school was to begin and I wanted to think that in our final scam, I would be an integral part of the plan. I wanted to use my creativity for a change and make everybody laugh.
On the third day of our meetings, the whole class got together at lunch and sat in our usual spot underneath a row of trees next to the soccer field. Sandwiches and juice boxes in hand, people started to once again feed our ring-leader ideas- each of which he discarded. Finally, I decided that maybe my idea was good enough. I was pretty positive Michael wouldn't think it wise enough, but I figured it was worth a shot. Besides, after all those years of sitting quietly and agreeing to whatever it was he thought of, I really had nothing to lose. Even if my idea wasn't "funny enough" I figured everyone would be shocked that I even thought of something. That was reason enough for me to get up and give it a go. = M
Putting my lunch down, I stood up in front of my classmates and gave a suggestion. "Every year we play a prank here at the school. How about, this year, we don't. How about we play the prank from outside of school?" Michael chimed in, "How are we supposed to manage that? I don't think I follow."
"Well," I went on, "I suggest that we don't even show up for school. I think our whole class should be absent." Everybody stared at me in complete shock. An entire class of thirty students, being absent on the same day would be an absolute riot. Michael has a big grin on his face, but the other students had a lot of questions.
"How will we convince ALL our parents to let us stay home? The chances of each of us getting them to allow it are slim to none. If one person shows up because their parents force them to go, then the prank is ruined."
I could see my idea wasn't winning them over, but then Michael stepped in, "Hey, I think Raquel has a great idea! This could be the funniest thing we do. Raquel, I think you found a winner." As soon as Michael accepted my idea, slowly everyone else did too. I could see they thought it was funny, but they were just worried it wouldn't work.
April Fools day finally arrived and we set our plan into motion. The night before some students faked a stomach ache after dinner. Some of my classmates faked fevers that morning. One or two students actually had been sick and couldn't get out of bed. I told my parents that I had an awful headache and needed to stay home.
Knowing what day it was, my parents asked if I was joking. I told them, "Are you kidding? Today we were going to play the best prank ever on Mrs. Butler, and I am so mad I'm going to miss it! I really am feeling sick though, and I think its better I stay in. I wish I could be there, but I just feel terrible." My parents, knowing how our class was well known for its pranks, believed that I was sad about missing out and allowed me to stay in. Little did they know, this was the prank!
The next day we all showed up to class and sang to Mrs. Butler "April Fools!" She laughed and smiled and gave us a round of applause. "That was the best April Fools joke that has ever been pulled on me!" she said. "Any joke that gives me a day off of work is fine by me."
I was proud of myself for getting the courage to suggest the prank, and I was even more proud that people liked it- including my teacher. It was a moment in my childhood that I'll never forget, and I'm sure the school never has either.