Is April Fool’s Day a fool’s day?

By K.R. Nayar

April 1st is considered as April Fool’s Day, a day of pranks followed by laughter; in short, a day unlike any other, where many funny things happen. Many prepare for some fun the day before to make it special. A lot of importance used to be given to this day while at school, and if one did not create at least a small incident to fool someone, then we would get the feeling that the day was not honoured. Of late, many don’t really care about this ritual.

Last year, a friend messaged me "Happy April Fool’s Day," as one would wish "Happy Valentine's Day" or "Happy New Year." Involuntarily, I thanked him and wished him the same. After that, I began to wonder whether he wished me so because he knew that someone had made a fool of me, or was he wishing me because if anyone fools me, let it be a happy one?

I have always wondered how businessmen accept cheques dated April 1. The guy who wrote the cheque could say that he did it just to fool him on April Fools’ Day. I wish I could issue a cheque dated April 1 to my landlord and tell him, “I am sorry, that cheque is an April Fool’s prank, and hence, no rent for this month!”

Ajit Wadekar 

I always send birthday wishes to cricketers whom I have closely interacted with. Former Indian captain and late Ajit Wadekar’s birthday is on April 1. Once, I was with him on this day and hesitatingly wished him a happy birthday. He realised why I was hesitant, and heartily acknowledged my wishes. Stephen Fleming, the ex-skipper of New Zealand, and now a coach, also celebrates his birthday on April 1. The interesting thing is that both Wadekar and Fleming were shrewd captains and coaches with barely any chance of being a fool in any way.

Incidentally, April Fool’s Day is considered the best day to propose to a girlfriend. It is said that if she accepts, it is your luck, and if not, you can escape by saying it was an April Fool joke.

Ricky Ponting 

I remember a funny incident in cricket that happened on April Fool’s Day in 2003. On March 23, I reported the final of the 2003 World Cup between India and Australia in Johannesburg. Australian skipper Ricky Ponting cracked a brilliant unbeaten 140, resulting in the Sourav Ganguly-led Indian team losing the final by 125 runs. After I returned to Dubai, while at the office on April 1, news spread that Ponting had used a bat that had springs fitted inside. If my memory serves me right, a television channel even put out that story. Frankly, considering the ease with which Ponting was hitting sixes in that World Cup, I too almost believed it, only to realise later that it was an April Fool's joke!

The great novelist Mark Twain once wrote: “This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are the rest 364 days.” I believe that April Fool’s Day is just to remind everyone that laughter is needed for happiness in life.