I've had practical jokes played on me, and I've, also, played them on others.
These days, I realize that there are harmless ones and there are ones that could be life/health-threatening.
Any kind of practical joke that could cause a panic attack (and has the potential to cause a heart-attack) is not truly a joke and should never be done.
I'm talking about things such as coming up behind somebody and tickling him/her, yelling BOO!, putting ice cubes down the back of his/her top, etc.
or
tossing a frog or mouse in his/her lap.
Also, practical jokes that could cause bodily harm such as pulling chairs out from under people; placing banana peels in their paths; etc.
There are even some practical jokes out there that have the potential to kill or maim several people at once. One which comes to mind is where a penny is placed on a rail in hopes of making a train jump the track.
Here are some examples of harmless and funny practical jokes:
Invite somebody to a snipe hunt and have the object of the joke be the one holding the bag to catch a snipe. After the person has been left holding the bag long enough, tell him/her that there are no snipes in the area but thanks for holding the bag so well.
Invite people over for a meal at your place. When they arrive, give each one a toothpick with a chunk of cheese on it and a glass of water and tell them to enjoy their meal--and, in a little bit, reassure them that the pizza will be delivered any minute now.
Ask a friend to dress nicely for a night at the theatre and dinner at a five star restaurant. Instead, go to the drive-in theater and get him/her a hot dog, popcorn, and a drink.
My fifth cousin's husband did something like that to her one time. They both got dressed up to enjoy a night on the town.
However, what she didn't know was that they were actually going to a home game at her husband's old high school.
Not only that, but they sat in the bleachers reserved for the fans of the guest team.
Whenever, The Anderson Indians scored, Jim would jump up and cheer at the top of his lungs. Whenever the guest team scored, he booed.
At first, Lois was a little embarrassed, but, soon, she was following his lead, and they had a wonderful time that evening!
Ainsley Jo Phillips
These days, I realize that there are harmless ones and there are ones that could be life/health-threatening.
Any kind of practical joke that could cause a panic attack (and has the potential to cause a heart-attack) is not truly a joke and should never be done.
I'm talking about things such as coming up behind somebody and tickling him/her, yelling BOO!, putting ice cubes down the back of his/her top, etc.
or
tossing a frog or mouse in his/her lap.
Also, practical jokes that could cause bodily harm such as pulling chairs out from under people; placing banana peels in their paths; etc.
There are even some practical jokes out there that have the potential to kill or maim several people at once. One which comes to mind is where a penny is placed on a rail in hopes of making a train jump the track.
Here are some examples of harmless and funny practical jokes:
Invite somebody to a snipe hunt and have the object of the joke be the one holding the bag to catch a snipe. After the person has been left holding the bag long enough, tell him/her that there are no snipes in the area but thanks for holding the bag so well.
Invite people over for a meal at your place. When they arrive, give each one a toothpick with a chunk of cheese on it and a glass of water and tell them to enjoy their meal--and, in a little bit, reassure them that the pizza will be delivered any minute now.
Ask a friend to dress nicely for a night at the theatre and dinner at a five star restaurant. Instead, go to the drive-in theater and get him/her a hot dog, popcorn, and a drink.
My fifth cousin's husband did something like that to her one time. They both got dressed up to enjoy a night on the town.
However, what she didn't know was that they were actually going to a home game at her husband's old high school.
Not only that, but they sat in the bleachers reserved for the fans of the guest team.
Whenever, The Anderson Indians scored, Jim would jump up and cheer at the top of his lungs. Whenever the guest team scored, he booed.
At first, Lois was a little embarrassed, but, soon, she was following his lead, and they had a wonderful time that evening!
Ainsley Jo Phillips
February 4, 2013
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