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.
作為一個(gè)孩子長大,愚人節(jié)是一個(gè)假期我從來不覺得聰明的足夠的參與。我是創(chuàng)意足以讓萬圣節(jié)的服裝,或烤12個(gè)心形的餅干在情人節(jié),但我沒有任何好主意玩惡作劇。
在小學(xué)里,我所有的同學(xué)將準(zhǔn)備在愚人節(jié)的玩笑。這個(gè)笑話通常要在老師,,提前了一個(gè)星期,所有的學(xué)生將一起午餐計(jì)劃惡作劇是什么。這種情況持續(xù)了很多年,因?yàn)槲胰チ艘粋�(gè)小學(xué)的30名學(xué)生的小學(xué)。
戒指我們班是一個(gè)領(lǐng)袖的男孩,他的名字叫邁克爾,邁克爾總是想出了的惡作劇。我們在四年級時(shí)他說服我們穿普通的衣服,而不是我們的校服——盡管我們沒有權(quán)限。在六年級,他讓我們所有人同意切換身份所以,當(dāng)老師叫我,我就不會(huì)回答自己——而不是另一個(gè)同學(xué)說話。
我們的老師總是忍受我們的愚蠢的舉動(dòng),即使他們是幼稚的。他們總是知道邁克爾是負(fù)責(zé)我們的笑話,但他們從不懲罰他。他們似乎明白,作為孩子,我們有權(quán)一點(diǎn)樂趣,此外,邁克爾從組織整個(gè)事情有很多快樂和瘋狂的想法。讓我們開懷大笑
在我小學(xué)的最后一年邁克爾認(rèn)為愚人節(jié)我們需要發(fā)揮我們的惡作劇。我們都聚在一起作為一個(gè)階級——所有15個(gè)男生和15個(gè)女生,開始吐出的想法左右。邁克爾真正想要的是在學(xué)校,沒有人會(huì)忘記,所以很多想法被拒絕。沒有人質(zhì)疑當(dāng)邁克爾擊落一個(gè)主意。他是國王的惡作劇,所以我們聽了他所有的建議和批評。
我從來沒有真的說在這一年一度的儀式,但在我想成為它的一部分。這是我去年在高中開始之前,我想了想,在我們最后的騙局,我將計(jì)劃的一個(gè)組成部分。我想用我的創(chuàng)造力改變,讓大家開懷大笑。
第三天我們的會(huì)議,午餐全班同學(xué)聚在一起,坐在我們通常發(fā)現(xiàn)下面一排樹木在足球場旁邊。三明治和果汁盒,人們開始再次給我們r(jià)ing-leader想法——每個(gè)他丟棄。最后,我決定,也許我的想法是不夠好。我很積極的邁克爾不會(huì)認(rèn)為它足夠聰明,但是我覺得值得一試。此外,畢竟那些年安靜地坐著,同意他想到,我真的沒什么可失去的。即使我的想法不夠“有趣的”我想每個(gè)人都會(huì)感到震驚,我甚至想到的東西。這是足夠的理由讓我起來試一試。
貶低我的午餐,我在我的同學(xué)面前站了起來,給了一個(gè)建議。“每年我們在學(xué)校玩惡作劇。怎么樣,今年,我們沒有。我們玩的惡作劇以外的學(xué)校嗎?“邁克爾插話說,“我們應(yīng)該如何管理?我不認(rèn)為我跟著。”
“嗯,”我繼續(xù)說,“我建議我們甚至不出現(xiàn)在學(xué)校。我認(rèn)為我們應(yīng)該全班缺席�！懊總�(gè)人都盯著我完全震驚了。整個(gè)類的30名學(xué)生,沒有當(dāng)天將是一個(gè)絕對的*。邁克爾有一個(gè)很大的笑容在他的臉上,但是其他的學(xué)生有很多的問題。
“我們?nèi)绾握f服我們的父母讓我們呆在家里嗎?我們每個(gè)人的機(jī)會(huì)讓他們允許它微乎其微。如果一個(gè)人出現(xiàn),因?yàn)樗麄兊母改笍?qiáng)迫他們?nèi)?然后惡作劇是毀了�！�
我可以看到我的想法不是爭取他們,但是邁克爾介入,“嘿,我想拉克爾有一個(gè)好主意!這可能是我們笑的一件事。拉克爾,我認(rèn)為你找到了一個(gè)贏家�！爸灰~克爾接受了我的想法,慢慢地其他人也一樣。我可以看到他們認(rèn)為這是有趣的,但他們只是擔(dān)心它不會(huì)工作。
愚人節(jié)終于到站了,我們把我們的計(jì)劃付諸實(shí)施。前一晚一些學(xué)生偽造飯后胃疼。我的一些同學(xué)偽造發(fā)燒那天早上。一個(gè)或兩個(gè)學(xué)生實(shí)際上已經(jīng)生病,不能起床。我告訴我的父母,我有一個(gè)可怕的頭痛,需要呆在家里。
知道哪一天,我父母問我是不是在開玩笑。我告訴他們,“你在開玩笑吧?今天我們要去玩的惡作劇在巴特勒太太,我很瘋狂,我要錯(cuò)過它!我不舒服,我想更好的我呆在。我希望我能去那里,但我只是感覺糟透了�！拔业母改�,知道我們班是很出名的,惡作劇,相信我很難過,關(guān)于失去和允許我呆在。他們并不知道,這是惡作劇!
第二天我們都出現(xiàn)了階級和唱巴特勒太太“四月傻瓜!”她笑了,笑了笑,給了我們一個(gè)熱烈的掌聲。“這是的愚人節(jié)笑話過穿上我!”她說。“任何開玩笑說,給我一天的工作我都可以接受�！�
我很自豪自己獲得勇氣表明惡作劇,我更自豪的是,人們喜歡它,包括我的老師。這是一個(gè)時(shí)刻在我的童年,我永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)忘記,我相信學(xué)校從來沒有。
