Joke

How fitting for an April Fool’s Day one-word prompt, which reminds me of the joke my co-workers played on me April 2, 2019. (they couldn’t do it on April 1 because I was still recovering.)

We didn’t have monitor and laptop stands in our small Toronto office, and every time I worked out of London, I’d forget to pick them up. Knowing my screens should be at eye level, I decided to flip the blue paper recycle bins over, using them as stands instead. And yes, to all you environmentally conscious folks, other bins were available for paper collection.

I make my way into the office on Tuesday, my co-workers Jer and Mo are already there. Mo’s having his usual, oatmeal with trail mix, for breakfast and Jer is doing whatever Jer does in the morning. “Morning guys,” as I make my way over to my desk and start setting up for the day.

Shortly after talking about my weekend and proudly displaying my concoction of prescription drugs, I hear a sound. Faint but definitely there. I pause for a sec, tune in. Nothing! I get back to work.

A few minutes later, I hear it again. A bit louder this time. Sounded like a combination of someone splashing around in water and something heavy dropping and rolling on a creaky floor. It wasn’t anything I’d ever heard before. Pausing, I look around. “Did you guys hear that?”

“Hear what?” Said Jer.

“Nothing!” I couldn’t even describe what I had heard. I thought, “What the hell!” Shaking it off, I continued to prep for my meeting.

Then again, but louder this time. I jump up from my chair. “You guys didn’t hear that??!!” They both looked at me like I was crazy. I look around, under my desk, out the window. “What the fuck!”

I sit down, but now I’m on edge. Can’t get back to what I was doing. Rapid-fire thoughts, “What was that?” “Am I going crazy?” “Maybe it’s the pills?” “Ok. Calm down.” “Breath!” Then I hear it again. Freaking out! I pushed myself away from my desk, rolling back and hitting the wall behind me.

Then hearing another sound, I look up. Jer and Mo are laughing hysterically. In between massive gasps for air, Mo says, “You should have seen your face!”

“You assholes!” They hid a speaker under one of my bins. Mo was playing the sound from his phone.