Uneven Revenge

I still haven't been able to beat my Father at an elaborate April Fool's Day wind-up he did to me but I came close on Tuesday.

You may recall that my Dad did a cruel one to me when I was young and a big Grange Hill fan. I had entered a competition in the Radio Times to be an extra on the series and - a few days after posting off the entry - I received a phone call telling me I was going to be on Grange Hill and that they wanted to speak to my Father. I realised he was at the paper shop across the road from me and I ran out into the street yelling, 'Dad, Dad - I am going to be on Grange Hill!' The owner of the shop was waiting outside for me and told me he was on the phone.

And then it dawned on me what was going on.

Ever since that day, I have vowed to get even but the pranks I have tried on him pale in comparison.

This year's idea came to me on Monday night. My sister was staying over and she used his credit card to pay for a Dell laptop for her family. The thought bubble in my head resembled the mechanics of a watch as the plan came to me.

The following morning I rang my Father at work with some immediate news.

'Dad, Dell have just rang about that order last night and they wanted to know if we really wanted seven laptops.'

'What?' He replied.

I repeated the sentence and there was a pause.

'She must have pressed the button seven times,' I added.

'Did you tell them there was a mistake and we only want one?'

'Yeah, but they told me it's too late to change the payment now. They said they would send a cheque back within thirty days.'

I got him, it sounded too believable. His 'f***ing hell' was also too believable.

I then fessed up and he admitted that he fell for hook, line and sinker.

It was one of my best April Fool's pranks but it still doesn't top that Grange Hill one. One day I will match it!