Timing is everything…
I recently added links to the Summer Camp “Epilogue.” It spent 6+ months as a semi-hidden part of the site, so I figured it was time to make it official. I thought it was funny. And innocuous. Boy, was I wrong.
It seems that timing is everything. Or maybe I just didn’t count on some folks’ ability to completely gloss over a critical piece of information… like the April 1st date at the end of the Afterword. Maybe I underestimated how well readers know me and my style (not to mention my sense of humor). Maybe I just underestimated people’s ability to jump to the wrong conclusion and then run with it.
I mean, c’mon folks! Do you really think I’d end Summer Camp with “It was all a dream”?!? Do you really? WTF? At this point, I’ve spent more than 4 years of my freakin’ life on this story. Do you think I’d throw all that away with a cheesy TV ripoff? (My ripoff was cheesy. The Newhart finale that I ripped off is still one of the funniest gags in the history of television.)
Most people got the joke, but a surprising number didn’t. I guess I should’ve known better. Around April Fool’s, people are suspicious of everything, and quick to dismiss something ludicrous. But in the middle of October? I guess it’s my own fault, but I guess I also expected people to realize that I’m not such a wanker that I’d end Summer Camp with a dream.
I’ll be shaking my head for some time over this one. Lesson learned.
For everyone who got the joke (whether it was the first time around, or more recently), congratulations.
For everyone who sent panicky feedback… relax. It was a joke.
(And for everyone who sent panicky feedback and thought it was a Dallas ending… um… Did you read the part about “apologies to Bob Newhart”? I guess not. After all, you managed to miss the “April 1″ part too. Live and learn, I guess.)
I’m still shaking my head in wonder, though.
And I still think it was funny.
- Nick
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10 Responses to “Timing is everything…”
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Nick,
I just read the blog entry and through that the story.
The only things missing was the red shoes and toto.
A “time bomb” april fools story, what a gass.
I am still laghing and grinning while I type this.
If you ever come to australia I will buy you a beer, your humour is appreciated in “oz”
We laughed. (but we figured you would get that kind of response.)
Larry, Darryl & Darryl
Almost as good as the Dallas “Bobby Ewing Walks Out Of The Shower” scene.
I laughed, and there is a beer awaiting your arrival in the UK as well.
I scratched my head, saw that it had been written 6 months ago, but missed the signifigence of the date. I just thought that all would be clear in time. No panic.
Cheers!
I had read it a couple of days ago. I was fairly certain it was a joke. The one thing I did think of was, if its not, we will see our first web-based lynching.
Neredis Rocks, btw!
Thanks for the great reading! Maybe one day you can do an author reading at Barnes and Noble
Alan
I laughed the first time, than when you added the link I smiled… and then someone asked me:
“What’s that all about?”
“Check the date on the end…”
“Oh.”
Steve.
I have to admit, I panicked. For a few seconds. I am really enjoying Nerieds and Breakdown. Thanks
Classic, classic joke. Even this Gator grad understood the humor. I’m surprised that any mental midgets who didn’t get it would be able to understand your writing — after all, you use big words!!
Apologies to non-US readers, as the April Fool’s Day tradition (as well as the TV show “Newhart”) many not be readily apparent. But everyone else should have been able to EASILY figure this one out.
Well, never having been a fan of Newhart (and I missed the date), I’m afraid I didn’t get the joke either. I also panicked for a moment. But, like so many others, I figured “It’s a long time until the end of the story. Things change.”
Once I found out about the joke, however, I realized what a great April Fools joke it was!
