What am I Doing Here?

April Fool Anyone?

Day 3794 April 1, 2025

My favorite April Fool’s Day prank was one that I saw on the TV program show MASH. Hawkeye and BJ were real characters who loved a good laugh. The other members of this unit were not fond of the jokes that they played. The others were usually the recipients of the joke.
But the best joke was done by Col. Sherman T. Potter who knew that Hawkeye and BJ would fall for something so ingenuous.
Col. Potter called a friend, Surgeon General Col. Tucker, (played by Pat Hingle), to visit the 4077th MASH unit. The visitor was identified as another officer who would watch the unit at work. And as Col. Potter imagined, his friend, Col. Tucker, spotted little detail and criticized the error. The members of the unit believed that the visitor was a little harsh. Their remarks was met with more criticisms from the visitor.
Hawkeye and his cohorts decided to get even with Col. Tucker. The last night the visitor was there was April Fool’s night. Everyone was in the Officer’s Club for a drink. Hawkeye had a trick rigged. When Col. Tucker walked in, a pail of beer would douse him. The plan worked but no one expected Col. Tucker to have a heart attack. He collapsed. And everyone went to him to give him help. Col. Potter was first and heard Col. Tucker whisper, “Hawkeye!”
When Hawkeye kneeled close to Col. Tucker, he heard Col. Tucker say, “APRIL FOOL!”
Surprised was on everyone’s face until the words sunk in.
They had been HAD!
Tucker got on his feet.
Col. Potter responded, “I got everyone. I have been planning this with my friend for months.”
Hawkeye and BJ agreed and everyone laughed at the magnificent job of getting the MASH jokesters at a game they thought they were best at.
I loved it too. I thought the heart attack was real and the characters might end up in jail.
But fun was had by all. The show ended with a smile on everyone’s face.
Col. Potter with Col. Tucker were the best in pulling a great joke.