(Ally)
Even the most creative practical jokers coerce an ally or two to partake in mischief, even if it is for distraction of the victim. There is no fun in being a loner in mischief, for it is the audience that enjoys the prank. One guy playing a joke on another with no witnesses is as pointless as aiming a gun at a duck when there are no ducks, even though in that case, since the sky is the actual target, you can’t miss.
I come from a long line of practical jokesters, some lore insinuation suggesting it goes right back to Neanderthal times, with certain retained physical characteristics adding credence to this theory. One family myth has a cave-man ancestor hiding rocks in meat to watch the cousin from a cave on the other side of the mountain chomp his way to mangled teeth, each new voracious bite leading to more chips. The lack of any wisdom teeth in many of my blood brethren enhances the theory. Outsiders feel that it is a far more likely that these missing rear teeth prove a lacking in the substance said teeth were named for. Fortunately, all history is theory or lies.
Dad’s ally was my Uncle. Having many sisters and no other brothers while they grew up probably was the foreshadowing of later mischief against Aunts. Grandfather would have been proud. Generally, but not always, we children were the audience. Sometimes whole communities were witness to the prank. One of the best was when Uncle cross-dressed to the sexiest hilt, getting Bachelor Bob to dance away the night right through the thunderstorm. Father’s role was to ‘borrow’ dresses and make-up from Mother. I swear she almost killed the pair of them when she finally recognised the face behind her dress and make-up. Poor old Bob died not knowing.
By Jai Murugan
Humour is funny, (pun intended) in that it is so personal. One person's joke is another's insult, and all that. So I write for the Art of a Chuckle.
