What a Fool Believes

April Fools Day (AFD) is fast approaching. One of the unwritten rules on AFD is that you can really only do it with people you know. It really doesn’t work on strangers.  For example, what if you pulled up at a red light next to a lady who was alone in her car except for a couple of dogs in the back seat? You could say “Hey lady! Your kids look like dogs. April Fool!” Chances are pretty good she would be gone before you could say the “April Fool” part, and you’d have to chase her down for that part and things could get awkward. So yeah, don’t try it on strangers. Stick with people you know. 

Practically speaking, AFD can be a useful, meaningful day. For instance, it can be a clever time for you single readers to ask someone out, ‘cause if she or he rejects your offer, you can just say “April Fool”. Very handy. You wash your hands of it at that point as if it never happened. If she or he says yes, you of course do not say “April Fool”. And in the business world, you can ask your boss for a raise or for a couple extra weeks of vacation. When she or he turn you down, you simply say “April Fool” and he or she will forget that you ever asked. The awkwardness is gone. 

So, rather than make April Fools just a time for witty chitchat at the water cooler, use this day as a once a year “ask anything with no consequences” day. You'd be a fool not to.