My Daughter's April Fools 

Yesterday was April Fools day.  I have never really been a big practitioner of April fools pranks, however, I do appreciate them.  I have my Grandmother to thank for that.  My Grandmother was the family prankster, and each year she would  achieve terrific results with her April foolery.   Aging in her soft recliner, tissues and coffee at the ready, my Grandmother would reel each one of us in with a subtle question or statement.  She would then  twist it in a way that would either concern, terrify, or confuse us.  Finally, she would hit us with the punch line, and laugh that beautiful little laugh of hers.  Damn, she was funny.  Fake ketchup as blood,  Staples punched into her tenting skin,  or twisted stories,  she knew how to get us.  

My 9 year old daughter would have made her Great Grandmother proud yesterday. She asked me if she could ride her bike around the block.  This is the sweet new mountain bike that we purchased her for Christmas.  I agreed, made sure she was helmeted, and sent her on her way.  

A few minutes later she ran back in the house saying that she had to use the bathroom.  I continued to work at the computer when a moment later she came back in from outside with the look on her face.  It's a look she only gives me when there's trouble.  Like when she and her brother have broken something.  She said very quietly, "Daddy come here,"  and walked out the front door.  I quickly followed her to the top of our stairs that lead to the sidewalk.  She pointed to the bottom of the stairs and said, " I left my bike right here, and now it's gone."  

We live in the city, and I have had several items ripped off over the years.  I could feel my blood temperature rising and in classic Irish catholic fashion began yelling various versions of the Lords name followed by words that rhyme with brother ducking and alike.  My daughter looked up at me with a face full of pride and said, "Daddy, April Fools!."  She had hidden her bike in the bushes and had successfully duped her old man.  I apologized for my curse laced tirade and gave her a huge hug.  Grandma was smiling yesterday.