no.31 - The April Fool

Many years ago when I was a teacher in an after-school program for kids, I struck upon a plan of counter intelligence for April Fools day by untying my shoes.

I walked around all day with my shoes untied so each giggling child who looked at me and said "Your shoes untied" would be met with my earnest reply;

"Thank you! It's a really good thing you told me! I could have tripped. I could have been hurt. I could have ruined my shoe!" I made an obvious gesture leaning down to tie my shoe. "A fox could have mistaken my lace for a noodle and tried to slurp it up! I could have rolled down the stairs. Thanks a lot for looking out for me! Thank goodness you were here!"

Some kids thought this was pretty funny. Most disliked being foiled and stomped away in a huff.

This is problem with April the first. The merry prankster is almost never expecting the tables to be turned and is rarely prepared for a return in kind. So don't be too upset if, for example, some kids band together and tie your shoelace's together because you are walking around with them untied. Trust me, you deserve it.