April Fool Memories

I stink at playing jokes on people.

In fact, I stink at telling jokes to people.

I often don't get jokes that are told to me.

However, I was part of a really cool April Fool's joke once upon a time.

Come with me down Memory Lane. The year was 1999. I was in Advanced Placement 11th Grade English. We had an incredible teacher and a great group of kids, so while we were doing very challenging work, we mostly had a good time about it. On April 1st, the class walks in to the room to find a copy of The Grapes of Wrath on every desk. (For anyone who hasn't seen a copy of The Grapes of Wrath, it's quite a tome. A very large book. Quite intimidating. Even for 11th Grade AP English students.) Our usually sweet, kindhearted teacher informs us that starting today, we must read this new book, and that our assignments involve a complete outline of every chapter. One outline is due each class period, meaning reading 2 or 3 chapters a week. (We were on an "alternating block schedule," so depending on the week we would meet either 2 or 3 times.) These chapters were LONG. And there were a LOT of them.

Our countenances fell. How could we, even as super 11th grade AP English students, accomplish this monumental task? Our teacher, who is usually so sweet and kindhearted, has turned into a monster!! How could she do this to us? Of course, we completely believe her.

She got us good.

Real good.

After explaining the new "assignment," she asked a student to look at the board and read out loud the date.

We finally got it.

She got us so good, we decided to get her back.

During our lunch period, the entire class went into the guidance counselor's office. We selected a particular counselor who is known for having an excellent sense of humor. We explained what we wanted to do, and she was happy to help us.

She withdrew each and every one of us from 11th Grade AP English and temporarily placed us in the "regular" English class.

She even printed out new class schedules for us, reflecting the changes.

One by one, we went into our English teacher's room and told her we were dropping out of AP English because it was just too hard.

Her countenance fell. She didn't anticipate the ramifications that her little joke would have on her otherwise intelligent, creative 11th Grade AP English students. How could they do this to her? Couldn't they take a little joke?

We got her.

We got her good.