Earlier this month, I made the delightful/distressing discovery that April Fool’s Day is indeed celebrated in Indonesia. Here it is known as April Mop.
Ever since I was young, I have enjoyed the occasional April Fool’s Day prank. The first prank I remember playing was taking all of the tissue/toilet paper/magazines/paper towels/newspapers/paper products and hiding them, after which all I had to do was wait for someone to need to use the toilet. And there was the time I replaced my dad’s Danish cookies with “gifts” left by various animals at the neighborhood pond (which he didn’t see until several days later… sorry dad!). Or my personal favorite: the time I lived in Thailand and told everyone that I got a giant tattoo on my chest, which my parents believed until I came home over a month later.


For April Fool’s Day 2016, I had no pranks planned. Awhile back I did take a photo of a police car parked in my driveway with the intention of using it in a prank — something along the lines of being visited by the police for whatever reason I came up with — but I forgot about it until Manggo asked about it several days later after April 1st.
But this doesn’t mean my April Fool’s Day was uneventful. Quite the opposite: I had an incredibly stressful ten minutes when I was convinced that my house had exploded. It sounds like a far-fetched prank, but I believed it 100% because I’ve heard of gas tanks exploding and assumed that is what happened. This prank came courtesy of my friend, student, and son of my counterpart Bu Asro: Gilang. Check out the screenshots below for a blow-by-blow as this drama unfolded.

So happy April mop everyone! Thanks to Gilang for making this an April Fool’s Day to remember.
Silly daughter Kelly. Yes, the missing toilet / tissue paper incident, I remember it well. April mod for sure. Gilang got you for sure.
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Ha, a personal “thank you” to Gilang for ensuring a tradition of pranksterism was upheld for my daughter Miss Kelly😄 I was remiss in coming up with a scheme this year, though I did consider trying something on this day. Hehehe Mister Fitz
Sent from my phone
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I remember the time you anounced you were pregnant,. I saw right through it. I got a girl at work this year. As our doors lock automatically at 7 , she had been locked out. So she had to ring the bell for me to let her in. She’s new at the salon so she didn’t understand that I always anounce” were closed “when I come to the door. Well, she explained she worked here. I went three rounds with her saying ” were closed “, as if I had no idea who she was. I cracked myself up! I had to finally spring April Fools!!! On her. It was a bonding moment 😊
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