When I went to college, my sophomore year, I got my first real taste of what an April Fool's joke feels like. To give you some background, let me tell you a different story first. This story takes place when I was four or five. My mom was visiting a friend, and her friend had a little boy about my age. We played outside for a while, then we came in and watched a movie. I had never seen Bambi before, and for some reason my mom thought I was emotionally mature enough to watch poor little Bambi's mom get killed. Well, I wasn't.
So back to college (where, as ironic as life ever is, I reconnected with said best friend from first and second grade!!!). My family lived about an hour and a half away from school, so occasionally they would drive up on a Friday and take me home for the weekend. Second semester had started, and Christmas break seemed so long ago. End-ish of February, my parents made plans to come get me the first weekend in April. All the next month, I was so excited!
Fast forward to the last week of March, and the dorms were getting their semi-annual white glove test. The dean walked through--I don't know if she actually had a white glove, but I completely wouldn't have put it past her--and our dorm failed. I had done my job; my area and everything I was in charge of was spotless. We were told we would get a second chance, and if we failed again, we would all be campused for, I don't remember, a month I think. (Being campused meant that the only times we could leave campus was for work and for church. It also meant that we as girls couldn't talk to boys.) I knew if we failed white glove again, I would be campused, and I wouldn't be able to go home for the weekend. I went around and told every girl in my dorm that I was really looking forward to going home, and everyone needed to do their absolute very best at cleaning the dorm because I really wanted to go home! Thursday night before the Friday I was to leave, my dorm RA called everyone into her room for an announcement.
"The dean came through today and did her second white glove. I really thought you guys cared and wanted to pass this time, but she just told me that you failed again. I'm so sorry everyone, but that means everyone is campused, starting tonight. No going off campus this weekend. No dates for a month. At the end of the month, she will do another white glove, and if we pass, we won't be campused anymore."
After her little announcement, I was crushed. All month long I had been looking forward to going home! I didn't even care as much about all the dates I wouldn't have with my boyfriend; I just wanted to go home! The discussion seemed to veer toward other things and I extricated myself, very reminiscent of my four year old self and Bambi. I calmly walked down the hall to my room and flung myself on my bed, sobbing my eyes out. I know, spoiled brat. So I couldn't go home, big deal. At least I didn't make a scene! I was going to quietly grieve alone, and when I was fine again, I would rejoin life and go on as if life were peachy. I could hear the other girls, up and down the hall, carrying on as if absolutely nothing had just happened. They might not have cared about our punishment, but I sure did! Before I finished beating my pillow, one of my roommates came in and saw me. She asked me what was the matter. Um, hello? Were you not in the same meeting I just was? I told her I had been looking forward to going home for a month now, and I just had to get used to the idea that I wouldn't be able to now. She started laughing, the sad, you poor thing kind of laugh. I did not think it was funny. Then she told me:
"It was an April Fool's joke. We're not campused. You can still go visit your family."
No way. My sweet RA wouldn't do that to me! I sneaked out of my room and crept down the hallway. I got to her room and poked my head in. She was laughing and carrying on (I know--second time I used that word. I can't think of a different word to go here) with some other girls. Her eyes caught mine and I didn't have to say anything--I'm sure my tear-streaked cheeks said it all. She apologized for the prank and assured me that it really had been a joke.
Turns out one of the girls was supposed to put a piece of paper in each room saying "April Fool's" during the meeting, but that didn't happen. A bunch of girls got back at her, though, with shaving cream in her face.
Right then I determined, no April Fool's jokes for me, ever again! That was as bad as Bambi's mom dying!
What is the worst April Fool's prank you've ever been subject to? Have you ever pranked anyone bad like that?