I was never able to be too enthusiastic about April Fool’s Day, probably due to my recently deceased mother. Having been unlucky enough to be born on April 1, she endured many cruel jokes in her childhood that she related to me in my own, giving me a deep uneasiness about the whole thing.
Once, when she was a little girl, some schoolmates told her they would throw her a birthday party at the home of one of them, with cake, presents, the whole bit. On the big day, she got all dressed up and headed over in excitement. When she got to the home, the schoolmates were there — but of course, no cake, no presents, no party. “April Fool’s! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”
Small wonder that she, as an adult, never really liked children all that much.
Happy birthday, Mom. Miss you.
And to all you birthday boys and girls out there who share my mom’s misfortune: Happy happy birthday. No fooling.
