April Foolin'

The best "April Fool's" joke I ever heard wasn't on April 1. It was back in the day at my first geotech outfit, on a typical morning in a typical staff meeting when one of the guys - a very "engineer" sort of person in that he was always very quiet and serious - started telling us about his recent hiking weekend.

Turns out that he had been alone on a backcountry trail in the Blue Mountains when he came across a cougar. Did everything you're supposed to - shouted, made himself big, waved his arms - but the cat didn't back off and, instead, kept trailing him, getting nearer and nearer.

We're all appalled by this, as he tells us that he got increasingly worried and finally started trying to outpace the cat that just keeps on after him, getting closer and closer.

At last he bolts, tears off up the hill with the big cat right behind. He realizes he can't outrun the animal so he dives into a deadfall pile but before he can crawl under the cat seizes his boot in it's mouth.

Everyone there is dead silent, transfixed, as he goes on in his quiet voice; "So I'm holding on to the tree and the cat is pulling my leg...pulling my leg..." and he doesn't change expression or tone as he concludes "...just like I'm pulling yours right now."

Like I said; great April Fool's prank. Just not in April and not on All Fools Day.