Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
-- Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5
Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year
Monday, March 15, 2021
QUESTION OF THE WEEK MARCH 15, 2021
UPCOMING APRIL FOOLS DAY IDEAS
What’s the best / worst practical joke that you’ve played on someone or that was played on you?
Our family is one of pranksters. My children had pulled many pranks on me but I have got them more times. My sister has never forgiven me for a prank I pulled several years ago on April Fools Day by having a friend call her and tell her she had won a new van.
Worst. A friend had invited about 8 people for dinner and some of them decided it would be fun to call her and cancel right before time but be waiting in her condo parking lot to arrive on schedule. I thought it was too mean so I called my friend and told her the plan. She decided to really rake the callers over the coals as a joke. When we met in the parking lot, they were all sick about what they had done. One said that my friend had actually "cancelled their friendship." She got the last laugh when she started banging on car windows with a big grin on her face. That broke me and them of practical jokes.
One Christmas Son2 was supposed to be coming home from Portland. He was strapped for cash so I had bought the ticket from him. Early in the afternoon he called me to tell me he had missed the plane because he had been playing an all night poker game with friends, fallen asleep and woke late. Then he said he had lost all of his money in the game and could not buy a ticket and asked if I would wire him enough to buy another. Of course he knew me well enough to know my answer would not just be a simple no, but would contain an expletive with that no. Later that night we went with our extended family to a local restaurant. (my parents, sister, BIL and our immediate family ,less the prodigal) I got a phone call from the son who was pleading for money to get home. (I was fuming at his nerve) The restaurant was busy and I was angry so TheHub told me to go outside so I could hear, and no one in the restaurant could hear me growl. I walked to the sidewalk and talked (fussed) for about 3 minutes when I saw him turn the corner, phone in his hand, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Turns out every single person except my sister was in on the joke.
One of my brothers carefully inserted a saucer of water into my bed. I think I was nine or ten. When I came to bed later that night of course I knocked it over. The brother was waiting for my expression of anger and when he heard it rushed down the hall shouting that I had wet the bed. We had dinner guests at the time. I really don't like practical jokes. I think they are often cruel.
I always had to go to bed first because I was the youngest. One night both of my older siblings hid under my bed and when the light went out, they began to make ghost sounds and their hands came creeping over the sides of the bed. I remember the fright to this day.
I'd come back to the university dorm after a rough time at home to find that my dorm friends had short sheeted my bed with powdered and sugared tea in the bed and filled the room with balloons. I feel bad I couldn't laugh. I look back and think about how hard they must have worked to make it happen. When I couldn't laugh... they all cleaned up and took care of it. Looking back, I am touched by their friendship. It was all part of growing up.
Our family is one of pranksters. My children had pulled many pranks on me but I have got them more times. My sister has never forgiven me for a prank I pulled several years ago on April Fools Day by having a friend call her and tell her she had won a new van.
ReplyDeleteWorst. A friend had invited about 8 people for dinner and some of them decided it would be fun to call her and cancel right before time but be waiting in her condo parking lot to arrive on schedule. I thought it was too mean so I called my friend and told her the plan. She decided to really rake the callers over the coals as a joke. When we met in the parking lot, they were all sick about what they had done. One said that my friend had actually "cancelled their friendship." She got the last laugh when she started banging on car windows with a big grin on her face. That broke me and them of practical jokes.
ReplyDeleteI would never have guessed you were a tattle tail.
DeleteOne Christmas Son2 was supposed to be coming home from Portland. He was strapped for cash so I had bought the ticket from him. Early in the afternoon he called me to tell me he had missed the plane because he had been playing an all night poker game with friends, fallen asleep and woke late. Then he said he had lost all of his money in the game and could not buy a ticket and asked if I would wire him enough to buy another. Of course he knew me well enough to know my answer would not just be a simple no, but would contain an expletive with that no.
ReplyDeleteLater that night we went with our extended family to a local restaurant. (my parents, sister, BIL and our immediate family ,less the prodigal) I got a phone call from the son who was pleading for money to get home. (I was fuming at his nerve) The restaurant was busy and I was angry so TheHub told me to go outside so I could hear, and no one in the restaurant could hear me growl. I walked to the sidewalk and talked (fussed) for about 3 minutes when I saw him turn the corner, phone in his hand, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Turns out every single person except my sister was in on the joke.
Sounds just like something my son would do. Good one.
DeleteOne of my brothers carefully inserted a saucer of water into my bed. I think I was nine or ten. When I came to bed later that night of course I knocked it over. The brother was waiting for my expression of anger and when he heard it rushed down the hall shouting that I had wet the bed. We had dinner guests at the time.
ReplyDeleteI really don't like practical jokes. I think they are often cruel.
I always had to go to bed first because I was the youngest. One night both of my older siblings hid under my bed and when the light went out, they began to make ghost sounds and their hands came creeping over the sides of the bed. I remember the fright to this day.
DeleteI'd come back to the university dorm after a rough time at home to find that my dorm friends had short sheeted my bed with powdered and sugared tea in the bed and filled the room with balloons. I feel bad I couldn't laugh. I look back and think about how hard they must have worked to make it happen. When I couldn't laugh... they all cleaned up and took care of it. Looking back, I am touched by their friendship. It was all part of growing up.
ReplyDeleteThe worst I ever played, on my brother, still haunts me 55 years later. I never played a practical joke ever again.
ReplyDeleteSuch jokes often cause too much pain. Other than short-sheeting my brother's bed once, i have stayed away from such pranks.
ReplyDelete