Thursday 3 April 2008

WARNING: mutant caterpillars on the loose!!!

The best April Fools’ Day joke is one that isn’t a joke. I give you, most seriously, the announcement that Chris gave us at dinner that night. I repeat, this is NOT a joke:

Chris: “Cortona has unfortunately been hit by a bad infestation…of caterpillars.”

[Announcement is paused while everyone in the room erupts into hysterical laughter]

Chris [trying to ignore laughter]: “These caterpillars, while looking like your normal variety of wooly-woolies, are dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.”

[More laughter – we try not to fall off our chairs]

Chris: “I’m serious! [trying vainly to impress upon us the gravity of the situation] These caterpillars will shoot their spikes into your skin. This hurts and gives you a bad rash. It's not fun.”

[Still no success in getting us to stop laughing]

Chris: [valiantly persevering] “If you were student teaching in the elementary school this morning, then you saw the teachers freak out and set the caterpillars on fire.”

[?!?!?!? A ripple of shock and then we’re gone once again, laughing our heads off. This time the entire teachers’ table is laughing just as hard as us, including Chris.]

Chris: “Seriously though, if you see them, do NOT go near them! If you’re wearing flip-flops, don’t even step on them! Their spikes can go through your shoes. And another warning…they travel in colonies. So if you see them, they’ll be in a long line.”

[A long line???]

Chris: "Oh yeah...and don't go in the gardens next to Severini...they live in the trees and can drop down on your necks. It would be painful."

[Definitely the best April Fools’ Day announcement. Ever.]

….five minutes later….

Spencer (creative writing teacher): “…oh yeah! And once you skin them,” [he raises his fork up with the dinner meat on it] …they taste pretty good!”

[Everyone groans]

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