April Fool's Day

Not an April Fool's Day will go by that I do not think of this sweet, kind, thoughtful, mischievous, ornery, and sneaky lady. One of her FAVORITE (and I do mean favorite) holidays was April Fool's Day. She would plan for weeks, even months preparing for this one day. Beginning in February or March she would decide who her target for this year would be and she would put a lot of thought into how she was going to GET them this year. And believe me, she got someone every year.

Some years were much better than others but there are a few that I chuckle at now when I think of them. One year in particular she drove to the barn where my dad was working (way before cell phones) to tell him that one of his friends, Jerry, was trying to reach him because he needed help at his house. So, my dad drove to Jerry's house where they talked for several minutes, both wondering what the other was doing. Finally, Dad asked Jerry what he needed, explaining that this dear sweet lady had instructed him to come help. Jerry didn't need help. With confusion, they decided that maybe she had the wrong name, and that instead of Jerry needing the assistance it may have really been Donny. So, they both decided to check on Donny to see if they might be able to help him. The same scenario occurred at Donnie's house - it wasn't him that called either. When she was asked who they were supposed to be helping she told them. It was April, April Fool's!!! She particularly loved this one because it went even further than she had anticipated, getting three men involved. All in a day's work.

Another one that she considered a personal best was one that she was able to get on her oldest son. When her son came to visit with her on this afternoon she told him that his wife had called and had asked him to bring her a 5 gallon bucket of cow manure. Not asking questions and just doing as he was told, he got a 5 gallon bucket, traipsed around the barnyard shoveling manure, filled his bucket full, and proudly took it home. To his new house. Where his wife met him with "What are you doing bringing cow manure home!?" April Fool's!!!

She loved being able to GET people on April Fool's Day but much to her dismay it became harder and harder. She blamed it all on television. She claimed, "You have to get someone really early in the morning now because they talk about it too much on TV." You can only be a successul April Fooler if your targets are unsuspecting.

Mammy died in September of 2006. When my mother was cleaning out her house she found a stamped envelope addressed to Anthony. In it was... NOTHING. Pretty sure he was to be a target for her next April Fool's Day prank.

So Mammy, on this and every April Fool's Day I will think of you and wonder what you would be doing this year.