Tomorrow is April 1. I actually woke this morning thinking it was April Fools' Day--I shaved 1 day off March somehow.
Anyhow, I lay in bed last night reminding myself to be extra dubious today. I mentioned this to my husband this morning--it was actually him who told me is was not April 1st--and he said, you don't have to worry about me, that was your Dad. And how right he is. Dad adored a joke, and a good April Fools prank, better, but the very best was an April Fools prank on his dear only daughter. He would get me a couple of times, then nothing. Just long enough for me to let my guard down. Then BAM!
Most of those pranks have faded from my memory. Except one. I guess I was middle school age. I was home alone. Dad called from work and asked if I'd seen the hot air balloons. I hadn't. He said, run outside and look. I did. No balloons. Back in the house, you have to remember this was when phones were still attached to walls, I tell him, no balloons. He runs me back and forth a couple of times, surely they are there by now, he says. Well, they're coming your way, he says, a bunch of them. So I hang up the phone, and go outside watching for the balloons. Shortly later, he arrives home (I'm still sitting outside) and asks, did you ever see those balloons? No, no balloons. He laughs and tells me, happy April Fools' Day. He got so much enjoyment out of it. Every single time.
