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.
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.
作为一个孩子长大,愚人节是一个假期我从来不觉得聪明的足够的参与。我是创意足以让万圣节的服装,或烤12个心形的饼干在情人节,但我没有任何好主意玩恶作剧。
在小学里,我所有的同学将准备在愚人节的玩笑。这个笑话通常要在老师,,提前了一个星期,所有的学生将一起午餐计划恶作剧是什么。这种情况持续了很多年,因为我去了一个小学的30名学生的小学。
戒指我们班是一个领袖的男孩,他的名字叫迈克尔,迈克尔总是想出了的恶作剧。我们在四年级时他说服我们穿普通的衣服,而不是我们的校服——尽管我们没有权限。在六年级,他让我们所有人同意切换身份所以,当老师叫我,我就不会回答自己——而不是另一个同学说话。
我们的老师总是忍受我们的愚蠢的举动,即使他们是幼稚的。他们总是知道迈克尔是负责我们的笑话,但他们从不惩罚他。他们似乎明白,作为孩子,我们有权一点乐趣,此外,迈克尔从组织整个事情有很多快乐和疯狂的想法。让我们开怀大笑
在我小学的最后一年迈克尔认为愚人节我们需要发挥我们的恶作剧。我们都聚在一起作为一个阶级——所有15个男生和15个女生,开始吐出的想法左右。迈克尔真正想要的是在学校,没有人会忘记,所以很多想法被拒绝。没有人质疑当迈克尔击落一个主意。他是国王的恶作剧,所以我们听了他所有的建议和批评。
我从来没有真的说在这一年一度的仪式,但在我想成为它的一部分。这是我去年在高中开始之前,我想了想,在我们最后的骗局,我将计划的一个组成部分。我想用我的创造力改变,让大家开怀大笑。
第三天我们的会议,午餐全班同学聚在一起,坐在我们通常发现下面一排树木在足球场旁边。三明治和果汁盒,人们开始再次给我们ring-leader想法——每个他丢弃。最后,我决定,也许我的想法是不够好。我很积极的迈克尔不会认为它足够聪明,但是我觉得值得一试。此外,毕竟那些年安静地坐着,同意他想到,我真的没什么可失去的。即使我的想法不够“有趣的”我想每个人都会感到震惊,我甚至想到的东西。这是足够的理由让我起来试一试。
贬低我的午餐,我在我的同学面前站了起来,给了一个建议。“每年我们在学校玩恶作剧。怎么样,今年,我们没有。我们玩的恶作剧以外的学校吗?“迈克尔插话说,“我们应该如何管理?我不认为我跟着。”
“嗯,”我继续说,“我建议我们甚至不出现在学校。我认为我们应该全班缺席。“每个人都盯着我完全震惊了。整个类的30名学生,没有当天将是一个绝对的*。迈克尔有一个很大的笑容在他的脸上,但是其他的学生有很多的问题。
“我们如何说服我们的父母让我们呆在家里吗?我们每个人的机会让他们允许它微乎其微。如果一个人出现,因为他们的父母强迫他们去,然后恶作剧是毁了。”
我可以看到我的想法不是争取他们,但是迈克尔介入,“嘿,我想拉克尔有一个好主意!这可能是我们笑的一件事。拉克尔,我认为你找到了一个赢家。“只要迈克尔接受了我的想法,慢慢地其他人也一样。我可以看到他们认为这是有趣的,但他们只是担心它不会工作。
愚人节终于到站了,我们把我们的计划付诸实施。前一晚一些学生伪造饭后胃疼。我的一些同学伪造发烧那天早上。一个或两个学生实际上已经生病,不能起床。我告诉我的父母,我有一个可怕的头痛,需要呆在家里。
知道哪一天,我父母问我是不是在开玩笑。我告诉他们,“你在开玩笑吧?今天我们要去玩的恶作剧在巴特勒太太,我很疯狂,我要错过它!我不舒服,我想更好的我呆在。我希望我能去那里,但我只是感觉糟透了。“我的父母,知道我们班是很出名的,恶作剧,相信我很难过,关于失去和允许我呆在。他们并不知道,这是恶作剧!
第二天我们都出现了阶级和唱巴特勒太太“四月傻瓜!”她笑了,笑了笑,给了我们一个热烈的掌声。“这是的愚人节笑话过穿上我!”她说。“任何开玩笑说,给我一天的工作我都可以接受。”
我很自豪自己获得勇气表明恶作剧,我更自豪的是,人们喜欢它,包括我的老师。这是一个时刻在我的童年,我永远不会忘记,我相信学校从来没有。
