- Joined
- May 12, 2007
- Messages
- 355
When most families talk about pranks they pull on each other, it's nothing more serious than a surprise party or lying about where they're going for dinner. However, I'm now catching onto more thought-out affairs that I regret not having extra relatives to try these out on.
Friend of mine has a pretty nice set-up, remarried but still good friends with his ex, nicer townhouse downtown, works for his income and never let it get to his head. He's a bit liberal, but his kids turned out great, can't argue with that. Recently he tells me he's got some relatives flying in, his brothers and their families, none of them have seen him or his kids in years. He says his kid joked that he should show up with a fake piercing or something, just to psych them out. They laughed, but didn't think anything of it.
...Then, plans are changed, and here come the relatives that no one missed. The brother everyone loves, and...the wife. My buddy envies his ex, because she has an excuse not to respond to the family newsletter emails or the plugs for whatever business scam she's running, on top of this woman naturally hopping on every branch of the family she can. From being the converted Catholic with black/white mentality in a family of 'We're Catholic?' folks, and a natural neighborhood snoop complex...I never get tired of hearing stories about all this. This is the relative that wants to know exactly what you're doing with 'her' nieces or nephews and has something to say about it.
Remember the joke about the kid with the piercing? They're doing it. All out. The kid's actualy a well rounded guy. Pumps iron, runs a school paper, real workaholic and has his eye on special operations but hasn't picked a branch yet. He's showing up with a fake eyebrow piercing (apparently it's spring-loaded), a magnetic stud in each ear, messily spiked hair, and...I can't believe they're playing along with this, EYELINER. And to top it off, untucked black clothes and very well-prepared emo-esque demeanor. He's going to sit around listening to an iPod dully for a while, go to the bathroom and come back dressed sharply in all-black with the usual buzzcut, no makeup or fishing tackle on his face, and proceed to act normally.
I kept bugging him that the relatives might freak out on them, but I think at this point that's the goal. I can see problems arising if some one leaves early, thinking that the future Green Beret really does dress and act like that. But as a cultural type I'm curious how they'll take to the two different teenagers. How it will it look if one group takes to him for what he is and includes him, while the other confronts him about being a moron based on looks? I'm not sure if this is a prank or some kind of statement by now.
The real amusing thing, is the more recent calls report that the kid is really, really convincing. What will be tough is for his folks to keep a straight face while he's doing his thing. Something to keep in mind, some of your wife's eyeliner and a trip to Spencer's is all you need to make your own outcast offspring for your next family outing.
"Yeah, he looks like a total freak with his eyes blacked out. Oh, did I mention he got a medal in ROTC?"
Friend of mine has a pretty nice set-up, remarried but still good friends with his ex, nicer townhouse downtown, works for his income and never let it get to his head. He's a bit liberal, but his kids turned out great, can't argue with that. Recently he tells me he's got some relatives flying in, his brothers and their families, none of them have seen him or his kids in years. He says his kid joked that he should show up with a fake piercing or something, just to psych them out. They laughed, but didn't think anything of it.
...Then, plans are changed, and here come the relatives that no one missed. The brother everyone loves, and...the wife. My buddy envies his ex, because she has an excuse not to respond to the family newsletter emails or the plugs for whatever business scam she's running, on top of this woman naturally hopping on every branch of the family she can. From being the converted Catholic with black/white mentality in a family of 'We're Catholic?' folks, and a natural neighborhood snoop complex...I never get tired of hearing stories about all this. This is the relative that wants to know exactly what you're doing with 'her' nieces or nephews and has something to say about it.
Remember the joke about the kid with the piercing? They're doing it. All out. The kid's actualy a well rounded guy. Pumps iron, runs a school paper, real workaholic and has his eye on special operations but hasn't picked a branch yet. He's showing up with a fake eyebrow piercing (apparently it's spring-loaded), a magnetic stud in each ear, messily spiked hair, and...I can't believe they're playing along with this, EYELINER. And to top it off, untucked black clothes and very well-prepared emo-esque demeanor. He's going to sit around listening to an iPod dully for a while, go to the bathroom and come back dressed sharply in all-black with the usual buzzcut, no makeup or fishing tackle on his face, and proceed to act normally.
I kept bugging him that the relatives might freak out on them, but I think at this point that's the goal. I can see problems arising if some one leaves early, thinking that the future Green Beret really does dress and act like that. But as a cultural type I'm curious how they'll take to the two different teenagers. How it will it look if one group takes to him for what he is and includes him, while the other confronts him about being a moron based on looks? I'm not sure if this is a prank or some kind of statement by now.
The real amusing thing, is the more recent calls report that the kid is really, really convincing. What will be tough is for his folks to keep a straight face while he's doing his thing. Something to keep in mind, some of your wife's eyeliner and a trip to Spencer's is all you need to make your own outcast offspring for your next family outing.
"Yeah, he looks like a total freak with his eyes blacked out. Oh, did I mention he got a medal in ROTC?"
