I will start this by saying that yes, I did miss being an April Fool, but only by a tiny margin. I was born just twenty minutes after midnight on April 2nd, and the events of the prior day in my home were quite interesting to say the least.
To get the full story I must go back and remind everyone what medical tests were like in the 1970's, they were improving, but still far from the reliability, and accuracy that we take for granted today.
There were already four children in the house, the oldest a boy, who was seventeen, and the youngest a girl age nine. Two of them from my father's first marriage, and two from one of my mother's previous marriages. I would be the second try for them to have a child in common. The first resulted in a miscarriage when my mother was just three months along.
Since she'd already lost one child, the doctors were watching my mother closely to try to prevent this from happening again, thus they ran every test they had available at the time. My parents were told nothing but good news, there was no reason this baby wouldn't carry to term. To top if off, they said it was a boy and the due date was April 8th. Both of my parents were jubilant and all four kids were excited about gaining a new little brother. They quickly chose to name me after my grandfather, George.
Now, we fast forward to April 1st, as my mother's due date is nearing. My parents were planning to attend a function at a local club where my father was a member. Before leaving, they decided they had the perfect opportunity to play an April Fool's joke on the kids, they would pretend my mother was in labor and they were really leaving to go to the hospital.
The kids had heard them talking about the evening out in previous days so they weren't falling for it, they told them that they knew perfectly well it was April Fool's day and the baby wasn't even due yet. Trying to keep up the game, my mother still pretended to be having contractions, and they got in the car, and left the house.
Then suddenly a big surprise did hit! My mother's water broke in the car on the way to town and my dad had to turn tail and race for the hospital. After getting my mother checked into the maternity ward, he tried calling the kids to let them know what had really happened. At this point, their brilliant April Fool's trick totally backfired. The kids still refused to believe him, they told him to go back to dinner and stop trying to fool them.
My mother labored through the night and finally, I entered the world at twenty minutes past midnight on April 2nd. Here came another surprise, their chosen name of George wasn't going to work, I was a girl. They hadn't even pondered a girl's name since they were so sure the baby was going to be a boy, but that is a tale for another time.
Once again, my father tried to call home and let the kids know about their new baby sister, but they still refused to believe him. They told him it was almost one in the morning, so April Fool's day was over, and on top of that, they knew the baby was going to be a boy, not a girl. They all said goodnight to him, hung up the phone and went back to bed.
Realizing how badly their attempted joke had backfired, my father had to drive home, roust them all out of bed, grumbling and tired at two in the morning. Then he drove them all to the hospital so he could prove to them that it wasn't still an April Fool's joke.
Needless to say, the story of my birth and this April Fool's trick was told many times in my family as I was growing up, and to this day my Dad says it was the best April Fool's joke he ever thought up.
Verleen Wonderly is a published, freelance writer and has worked for the website http://www.dealofday.com since it's inception in 1999.
Evidence of after-hours activity turned up at a Big Boy... Read More
Humans think much like monkeys and other primates, not much... Read More
I was given a list of Do's and Don'ts of... Read More
This morning I decided to find myself. I originally looked... Read More
Voltaire said, "God is a comedian playing to an... Read More
Put Active RFID Satellite Tags in SpongeBobsSpongeBob has been in... Read More
Here, for your barfing pleasure, are the top ten worst... Read More
A welding helmet is a safety device worn for protection... Read More
He huffed and he puffed and he blew the house... Read More
Over visiting a neighbor the other day?"Would you like a... Read More
It was late in 1775, and King George III was... Read More
Imagine my surprise when I went to Jamaica a few... Read More
Joseph Yakel was born and raised in New York's Capital... Read More
Lawyer JokesQ: How does a pregnant woman know she is... Read More
NOTE: This article was originally published in May 2000 at... Read More
One of the great benefits of belonging to a health... Read More
... Read More
Do you believe in the power of your convictions?It's time... Read More
I like to bark. I mean, I like to bark... Read More
Are we starting to see the Housing Bubble Burst in... Read More
Lactose Intolerant Individuals may prove a bonus in Space Missions.... Read More
This column is long overdue. To put it in library... Read More
LibraHit TV show 'The X Factor' is back on our... Read More
Looking for a lighthearted and fun way to remove the... Read More
There are many ways to be original these days. But... Read More
Thanks to teen movies, many people have this stereotypical idea... Read More
I often wonder why I wake up so happy, ready... Read More
For me, the piano is the symbol of what is... Read More
Today while driving I saw a young girl, probably around... Read More
As the cloning debate of humankind continues we find ourselves... Read More
Saturday morning. I went, in the early morning, to the... Read More
Have you ever heard that saying, "The show must go... Read More
Maggie, the 22 year-old African elephant, has been a resident... Read More
Dear Poor Rix: A guy just invited me to a... Read More
Have you ever heard the name Will Schwenk? Or the... Read More
I have recently become frustrated with something at doughnut establishments,... Read More
We all know the Internet is a great tool for... Read More
When we decided to move to Mexico, one of the... Read More
The Army Corp of engineers is having a tough time... Read More
Despite my diplomas that allowed me to teach in state... Read More
If you are a citizen of UK or Australia, you... Read More
IF, An Online Internet Marketing PoemIf before you have turned... Read More
This morning I decided to find myself. I originally looked... Read More
Looking for a lighthearted and fun way to remove the... Read More
Have you ever heard that saying, "The show must go... Read More
There are many ways to be original these days. But... Read More
Here, for your barfing pleasure, are the top ten worst... Read More
Have you ever noticed how family members always misbehave at... Read More
How To Marry A Wealthy Guy(or Girl... Or at least... Read More
I often wonder why I wake up so happy, ready... Read More
Watching the fans at a minor-league baseball game is just... Read More
Space exploration came a long way since I was the... Read More
He huffed and he puffed and he blew the house... Read More
I've never really thought of myself as being funny. I... Read More
Today while driving I saw a young girl, probably around... Read More
NOTE: This article was originally published in May 2000 at... Read More
Over visiting a neighbor the other day?"Would you like a... Read More
Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel & Bookpleasures is delighted... Read More
I cracked open the fortune cookie and read the little... Read More
A few weeks ago I went to see a psychiatrist.We... Read More
Joseph Yakel was born and raised in New York's Capital... Read More
With her Jamaican accent Miss Cleo, a self proclaimed psychic... Read More
A couple of days ago I had to go to... Read More
"Pee-ew! You smell like a skunk soaking in sardine nectar... Read More
Voltaire said, "God is a comedian playing to an... Read More
Lactose Intolerant Individuals may prove a bonus in Space Missions.... Read More
Humor & Entertainment |