Since my Dad was the comedian in our family, April Fool’s Day was his time to shine. Watching Dad’s ingenuity, planning, and flawless delivery was something to behold.
They had no idea they were part of his prank.
One year, he told his sister (my Aunt Ruthalee) that my mother’s sisters (my Aunt Grace and Aunt MaryRuth) were planning a trip to Canada and wanted to drive from Greensburg, Pennsylvania to Toronto. Aunt Ruthalee’s daughter lived in Toronto so it seemed logical for my Dad to ask my Aunt Ruthalee if she and my Uncle Claude would map out a route for them. Meanwhile, his sisters-in-law had no intention of driving to Toronto, nor did they have any idea they were part of his prank.
My Dad asked Ruthalee to please give Grace a call and let her know once they had the route all mapped out. Mind you, plotting a driving route back then was a time-consuming project that would involve studying several paper maps spread all over the dining room table, and writing out the directions by hand. “Absolutely!”, my Aunt Ruthalee assured my Dad. “We’ll even map out rest stops too!”
When my Aunt Ruthalee finally called my Aunt Grace to present her with the detailed route to Toronto, she was met with utter confusion. Aunt Grace’s first question was “Where did you get the idea we wanted to drive to Toronto?”
The very next year on April 1st my Dad convinced my Aunt Ruthalee that their cousin was in search of one of my Grandmother’s recipes, and yes, she called their cousin with the recipe in hand! Although my Aunt Ruthalee was a pretty sharp cookie, my Dad was just that good of a prankster.
Who are the comedians in your life?
Does your family have a running joke? Do you have a story of being pranked on April Fool’s Day, or are you the prankster?
Share a comment! I would love to hear your stories! Better yet, put those stories in writing to preserve your family member’s legacy.