I Am Sorry Easter Bunny!

Practical jokes in my family were just an ornery trick played on someone causing the victim to feel slightly foolish or embarrassed; but, seldom causing the victim to be hurt emotionally.  The pranks were intended for everyone to have a good laugh.  The difficult part with practical jokes is that they can be taken to the point in becoming hurtful to some degree or other.  Practical jokers must ever be aware of the continuing and developing situation as to be cognizant of the victim’s feelings.

“There is no Easter Bunny!  I do not believe there is an Easter Bunny!” my younger brother emphatically proclaimed as we finished our lunch one beautiful spring day.  “You better watch what you say.  The Easter Bunny can hear.  He may decide not to bring you an Easter Basket filled with candy.” informed my parents as they smiled with a twinkle in their eyes.  My brother looked at my parents in unbelief, stood up, turned, and ran out the back door to play in the yard.  I followed my brother knowing full well there was no Easter Bunny, but deciding to play along with my parents’ little game.  What harm did it do?  We just searched around our home for a basket filled with candy on Easter Morning!  It was fun and the candy was delicious.

In fact, I was a pro at this.  I played the make believe game at Christmas with Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and now the Easter Bunny!  These games just brought presents, money for baby teeth, and candy.  In the end we were the winners and had the last laugh.

Like the Grinch without the intention of being cruel, my parents’ devised a perfectly silly and fun scheme to trick Buddy.    

On this particular Easter morning my brother and I jumped out of bed to eat breakfast.  “I saw the Easter Bunny in the field early this morning!  Peter Rabbit has already been here!” shared my Dad.  Stuffing the last bite of toast in my mouth, I pulled away from the table to look for my basket of sweet treats.  I looked under the beds, behind the couches, inside the cabinets, under chairs, and behind the curtains in the living room.  Finally, I found the purple basket filled with jelly beans, marshmallow chicks, solid chocolate bunnies, and coconut filled green eggs behind the reclining chair in the corner!  These candies were all of my favorites that would last for weeks.

As I began unwinding the ribbon my basket, I observed that Buddy began searching more diligently for his basket.  I stopped and I thought that it would not be much fun until Buddy found his basket.  I searched in other places with Buddy.  To his dismay a basket was not to be found.  Actually Buddy’s basket seemed to be more difficult to find.  I looked up at my parents questioningly.  Where did they hide it?  Did they get him a basket? 

My Dad then said, “Peter Rabbit probably had his feelings hurt when you said there is no Easter Bunny!  He may have decided not to leave a basket?!”  Buddy continued to search for the coveted basket.  My Mom suggested, “Maybe if you say you are sorry, then he can still bring you a basket?”  My brother broke down crying and said, “I’m sorry Easter Bunny!  I guess you are real after all!”  Immediately, my Dad began making suggestions as to the location of the basket.  “Did you look in the dryer?” asked my Dad.  “Yes,” answered Buddy wiping a tear from his eyes.  “Did you look under the clothes?” prodded my Dad.  Buddy looked again moving the clothes out of the way and sure enough there his Easter basket was! 

Relieved my brother picked the basket up and carried it to the table.  “I guess the Easter Bunny is forgiving!” said my Mom.  I was just glad my brother and I each had a basket to enjoy.

The years following this practical joke, I noticed the baskets were never hidden anymore, but instead were just given to us.  I am sure my parents never intended or expected my brother to react quite the way he did and they had no intention of hurting him.

Just this Easter Week my family and I reminisced about the joys of sweet memories.  There is no Easter Bunny was just one.  All of us laugh including my good natured brother.