Heads or Tails July 15th

Today's Heads or Tails, brought to you by the wonderful Skittles, is...

Heads - Joke!

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I'm not going to tell you a joke. I am one of the worst joke-tellers on the planet. It just doesn't sound the same or come out right when I retell a joke, and the ones I come up with on my own are usually pretty lame. What I am going to tell you about is a joke that was played on me by Papaw the Prankster when I was a little girl. I loved him so much.

My grandparents, Mamaw and Papaw, lived in Arkansas, while we lived in Texas. It was always a treat to see them! Mamaw was the practical one who kept Papaw in line, at least most of the time. Oh, the trouble he would get us kids into, but Mamaw always knew which "kid" created whatever mess we were in.

We were visiting at Christmas time when I was about four or five years old. I actually remember very little about this practical joke, mostly only what I've been told of it over the years. There was a pretty red box under the tree for me this year. All kids get so excited over presents, and I was no different. I was anxious to see what was inside that box. When I finally got to open in, you'll never guess what was in it!

Not a pretty new doll. Not a dress-up set. Not a ball. Not a game. Not even coal! It was my Papaw's old, smelly, dirty boot. Boot! Not boots. Just one filthy work boot. Everyone knew it was Papaw's idea of a practical joke, and my dad might have even helped him pull it off. But I cried and cried. At the time, I didn't think it was funny. He thought it was a hoot, not that I cried, just the thought of wrapping up an old boot. When I cried, of course he felt terrible. I was supposed to have a doll. And I did get it. I look back now and think it's hilarious!

My Papaw planned the ultimate practical joke! He's been gone since 1996, the year my twins were born. He was 98 years old, I miss him dearly, jokes included.