Not sure where it really comes from, well now I wonder. Since the first time I read about Fool April in one of my favorite Japanese comic books – Doraemon, the day had only one meaning to me “Fooling people and laughing at them”.

Once it was a stormy day, the more I experience how strong and bad the wind here the more I hate it. Worrying about the coming exams I didn’t even notice it was Fool April. A friend called to ask me to open the door. “I’m outside. Hurry up! It’s damn cold out here”, she said. Me honest stupidly went down to open the door. Wind slammed to my face and nobody was there. The girl was laughing as hell on the phone. Shit, just like that I came to the trap easily. It was funny enough to wake me up when I was surrounded by numbers and operations for finance exam the next morning.

Another call. That time was from Daru, one of my classmates. I like this guy. He always gives me notes which I hardly take in class. In the mood of Happy-Fool-April” and Get-someone-back-for-my-being-bluffed, I asked him to see me. “I need to tell you something which is very important to me and I can’t talk on the phone. Can we meet in one and a half hour at Den Haag HS station, please?” I said. “Jannie, what’s up? Are you serious? We have exam tomorrow remember?” He replied. “Of course I’m serious. I am sorry to bother you like this but this is important to me” I added. “Ok if there is no way you can talk to me on the phone, then I see you later. It’s late so be careful hah”.

We hang up and I couldn’t help myself laugh madly. Imagine his face wondering what I was going to tell him. Funny. Rain and wind were screaming outside. 15 minutes passed. Couldn’t concentrate on studying I was still amused. Half an hour passed. It took 30 minutes from his place to the station. I still had half an hour to call him before he got out of the house. Another 15 minutes. Probably he was changing. It was raining heavier. He was about to leave. Wind smashed into the windows. I called him.

“Hello…Daru…I can’t hear you”, “Jan, I’m in a tram. I’ll there in 15 minutes. Fuck the weather! I hope it’s not gonna rain tomorrow morning”, “What?” my stomach squeezed. “Jan, where are you?” I couldn’t open my mouth I felt so guilty. Why the hell he left that soon? “Why did you leave so soon?” “Yah, it’s late, Jan. I don’t want to let you wait alone at the station in case you arrive early”. It was even worse I didn’t know how to tell him. “Listen Daru I’m so sorry… I’m home and …Happy Fool April”. Silence was on the other phone. “hahaha…Today is Fool April. You are a little devil, Jan”.

I felt so guilty and regretful. I realized my joke was not that funny. I made a friend get out of his place in such a terrible weather and he had an exam the next morning just for fun. And knowing how much a friend cared about me made it terrible in stead of funny “haha”. Fool April is much funnier and nicer if you care a little bit more about people.