The Gift

My father has a gift when it comes to practical jokes and a really good sense of humor.  He sees the world as an opportunity to poke some fun at himself or his close friends and family members.  Over the years he has told me of many successful practical jokes played on others and even some very good ones played on him.  Although he has shared many of them with me, I am sure that there are many more “under the hood” still needing to be told.  I often tell my friends once I have pulled a successful prank on them, that “Although I may be good at this kind of humor, compared to my father I am nothing…”  His ability to make people laugh is nothing short of a “Gift.”

Action

It is the early 1950’s, our family grocery store had recently acquired a new delivery truck and Henry; my father’s dad, decided to take the truck to Glenwood for a dip in the Hot Springs Pool.  With the truck safely parked in a nearby lot, Henry and his companion headed off to the pool.

Not far behind, my father arrived to exact his next bit of mischievousness on his unsuspecting father.  Dad jacked the truck just enough to put some blocks under the rear tires.  They were only high enough to take the weight off the tires but still appeared to be sitting on the ground.  Backing off to a safe distance to see the “fruits of his labor” he waited.

Later that evening Henry and his companion returned to the truck for the 41 mile drive home. Upon starting it and putting it in gear, nothing but a dust cloud.  The truck was going nowhere real fast.  With a successful prank and a good laugh, my dad headed home.

Reaction…

At the time my father had a small convertible MG which he was quite proud of.  The following morning after his trip to Glenwood, my father headed out to go to work only to find his car half filled with water and a sprinkler sitting on the seat, turned on of course.  The car was not water tight and it was draining like a sieve.