It’s April Fools Day. Consequently, we’ll have a day littered with inane pranks, silly stories and tiresome practical jokes… In other words it’s a dozen or so hours of business as usual at maison de Strachan.
I find some practical jokes whimsical and innovative. For instance, yours truly was amused upon hearing an acquaintance’s prank of presenting a friend with a hollow Easter egg filled with toothpaste… That being said, if they employed that form of horseplay on my chocolate egg, I’d be bloody furious.
I’m not much of a fan of the ill thought out and futile pranks. By this, I’m referring to clearly absurd and untrue jests which have no chance of fooling the attempted victim. For instance, a misguided wag exclaiming “Come quick, Gary!… An ostrich has just run off with your mobile phone!”…… An episode which clearly won’t happen, rendering it an utterly lame and pointless prank.
Footnote – That being said, I guess one should never say never… Two shouldn’t say it either!
Incidentally, it’s the practical joke that’s lame, not the ostrich after injuring itself during the escape with my mobile……. The ostrich doesn’t exist remember!
April Fools’ Day (sometimes called All Fools’ Day) has uncertain origins. The only thing historians can posit with any real certainty is the beginnings of this mirthful celebration wasn’t consequential of an ostrich stealing a mobile phone.
There’s a school of thought this day celebrates the changing of seasons from winter to spring; the less inclement weather raising individuals spirits and mischief levels.
One legend suggests during the early 19th century this day bore the dubious nom de plume of ‘Thank F*** it’s Not As Cold Outside Day’……. However, the title was changed after German puritans deemed it too wordy, not to mention disapproving strongly of the monikers unnecessary cursing.
I’d take that unreliable old wives tale with a pinch of salt; after all there’s little to indicate the above legend rings true… Although, coming to think of it, as I’ve just fictionalised that segment, I can proffer with certainty it bears not one jot of truth.
Yesterday, while embarking on a dry run for delivering inane April Fools pranks, I advised a good friend the pages of Jamie Oliver’s Italian menu book were produced from recycled lasagne sheets.
Unsurprisingly, she was having none of this spurious pasta reclamation yarn……. That being said, she’s remaining open-minded about the factual truth behind my equally bogus claim the tome’s braille version incorporates folios borne from recycled penne!
It seems to me April Fool’s Day holds a higher profile in contemporary times; with individuals seemingly bearing a greater desire to undertake whimsical pranks. I suppose with a recent zeitgeist of COVID-19 and soaring cost of living, today’s horseplay provides welcome respite from life’s less salubrious episodes.
During my childhood in 1970’s Gateshead, I don’t recall individuals being as keen at spending 1st April indulging themselves with ill-thought out fibs like “Come quickly, Gary!….. Your Spangles are on fire!”…… Or “Blimey, Audrey Kennedy has just seen Spiderman in Bert’s Pie Shop on Low Fell. Apparently, he asked for a mince-pie instead of steak & kidney as he’s allergic to kidney!”
Further Footnote – Thinking about it, as Spangles weren’t flammable, I’ll admit it was an ill thought out example for inclusion in the prose.
I’ve vague recollections of being told as a child that you can only allowed to pull these lame pranks up until midday on April Fools Day. I’m unsure if that still holds true……. Actually, I need to dash. An ostrich has just run off with my bloody mobile phone!
“Oi, come back with my phone you lanky feathered f*** !!!”
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