Hitting the nerve.

I have gotten on people’s nerves during my life and chances are the readers of “Snap. Shot” have as well. In fact, I know of no one who has been able to avoid it. Sometimes it’s as simple as just talking too much, asking the wrong question at what you thought was the right time, or maybe it’s nothing you have done, they just are in a mood.

But there are other ways to hit a nerve and that’s what happened to me yesterday; I could not have been happier and more proud. For all you practical jokers, and I am one, it’s the greatest day of the year. For me, I believe nothing on April Fools Day; if it’s in the paper I assume it is a joke, if it’s online, I am sure it’s not true, but yesterday for a brief moment I let my guard down and bam, I got it square in the chops.

In our household we have a habit of doing anything and everything to pull a practical joke on April Fools Day. When my oldest kids were young we would often spend spring break down in Florida---and there were times when I was a millimeter from taking it too far. I used the principle of making sure their guard was down and nailing them when they least expected it.

There was one time when I “Accidently left my keys at the mall for the rental car we had rented.” What was funny was I was back at the condo and even though I knew it, “how did we get back if we didn’t have the keys?” Well, it didn’t really matter because logic had flown out the window and I was told, “That’s not funny.” Tell that to my kids---we still talk about it today. (We also talk about the ultimate joke I played, but that will not be discussed in “Snap. Shot.”) If you really want to know, e-mail me and I will tell you.

Yesterday I was waiting for a prescription to be filled; while I was waiting I received a text from my oldest daughter. She went on to explain that she had received a call and she was pissed. This was something that had happened before and it was taken care of---but having it happen again just shocked me. I called her and said, “Give me the number, I can not believe this has happened again.” She went on to say that she was pissed, I was pissed and that it was a real inconvenience. When she started laughing I knew she had me. I sat there and I reeled in the nerve she had stretched with what was a great practical joke. I was very proud and told her so. She relished it.

I did tell her that the ultimate joke played on me was from an assistant of mine a few years ago. She hit a nerve that was so far exposed I was surprised I didn’t scream. But she got me. She knew it would work and her style and technique was flawless. The entire office knew about it and enjoyed seeing me get tricked. But no one enjoyed it more than I did. Because if you can’t take it, don’t dish it out.

The photo above is of our 5 daughters who live in our house, or who have lived in our house---one way or another, they make it a personal mission to get on my nerves. Whether it’s a joke, or not, they succeed. I am proud of each and every one of them, and when it’s my turn to pull one on them, you can be sure I will not get the response I gave today. Because let’s face it, Dad’s are not funny…we get on people’s nerves.

Thanks for stopping by.