April Fools...

I am sitting in my office not knowing the date and my phone rings, I notice it is a minister who has been a friend of mine for years so I pick it up and he asks me, "Crockett can you talk?"  I can tell by the sound in his voice something is wrong so I get up and close my office door and reply with, "Whats wrong?"  He begins to tell me that he and his wife went out on a date last night and  had a couple of drinks.  On the way home an officer pulled them over and could smell the alcohol on my friends breath.  He continues with a lavish story about how he was not drunk but the officer led told him that he was over the legal limit and arrested him on sight.  I am sitting there blown away by this story and my mind is racing with what is going to happen and what do I need to tell him.  My friend explains that he spent all night in jail and that his elders will surly find out so he knows he will be fired and then he asks me, "What should I do?"  He could here my frustration when I sighed and told him to call an elders meeting ASAP and tell them the truth.  He ask a random question, "What is today?"  Was he to drunk to know?  Did something bad happen to him in jail?  Had he gone dumber?  "Wednesday!"  Then he ask me that question that would bring such a sigh of relief to my life and heart.  He ask me what the date was.  I thought for a second and said, "March the... April, You piece of crap!!"  I hear this laughter over the phone that I had heard so many times but this time I was not laughing with him.  I was relieved that this story was completely made up  and yet awed by the creativity and superior acting on the phone.  I told him I hated him a couple more times on the phone and then we said we would talk Friday. 

Since this was the best prank played on me in a while and my heart was racing I couldn't do my work anymore, what does a good youth minister do?  He calls his friends, elders and those in ministry he knows to play the same prank.  It was a good April Fool's day for me.  If your wondering how my stories went here we go...

A youth minister friend so believed everything I said and I even called him out of a meeting to tell him.  

The elder I work with believed me for a couple of minutes then remembered I don't drink and caught on. 

A senior minister who lives in Indiana believed it for a minute then realized the date. 

I called Natalie and told her I was in the hospital because of a car wreck but she knows me to well.   She never believed a word I said and rarely does.

I went to the preschool directors we have in our church acting like I had a kidney stone and wanted them to take me to the hospital.  They freaked out and afterwards almost punched me in the face. 

My Secretary didn't believe that one for a minute.

Then I got tired and went back to work.  

April Fool's day may be one of my favorite days now.  Maybe I will call you next year!!