"I hate April Fools day!" Peter muttered as he woke up that morning. The minute he saw what day it was on the wall calendar, he got the feeling he should go back to bed.
April fools day was like a national holiday to at least one of Peters roomates. If there was a holiday that Micky loved more than April fools day, it was possibly Christmas. Much like Santa on Christmas, Micky had his own bag of tricks, and they changed every year. Just when Peter thinks hes ready for a certain gag or a joke, Micky has always managed to one-up his pranksmanship and come out with something even funnier than previous years. Last year Peter had found that Micky had used super glue on vital underwear garments. After they had gotten home from the emergency room, Mike made Micky promise he would never do anything like that again. What Peter was afraid of, mainly, is that Mikes advice would have taken the form of a challenge instead of being a warning from using his wilder ideas.
"Might as well go down stairs. Hopefully today is the shortest day of the year." Peter prayed has he left his room.
As he walked downstairs he saw the others at the kitchen table. Mike had cooked what looked like a scrambled egg soup.
"Howdy Peter." Mike said. Davy was combing his hair. He made a slight "hi" gesture. Micky smiled wickedly.
"All right Dolenz." Peter said heading for one of the empty chairs. "Whatever you have planned, lets get it over with."
"Whatever do you mean, my dear man?" Micky asked with a shocked look on his face.
"You know what day it is." Peter asserted.
"Wednesday right?" Davy asked.
"It is?" Mike said. "Darnit, I gotta get that trash out!" Mike said grabbing a bag full of rubbish. He took off in a sprint toward the door.
"Its April fools day." Peter said still not buying in to Mickys innocent act.
"I swear to god Peter, I forgot all about it." Micky pleaded. "I have not time to set up a single prank we've had so many gigs."
"So do I trust you?" Peter asked.
"Completely!" Micky said. "Sit down and have some eggs before they get cold and soggy."
"I think they already are." Davy said making a face as he ate a bit of it. "Mike should market this, as weight loss food. You cant eat it so you lose weight."
Mike came back with the bag of garbage. "I missed them by two seconds. I tried to get them to stop but they zoomed around ther corner. Imagine that!" He said frustratedly. Mike sat down and took a bit of his food. "Thats the last time I get pre powdered pre frozen, dehydrated eggs."
Peter, feeling safe at last, began to sit down on the last remaining chair. The instant his butt hit the seat it crumbled beneath him, and Peter fell to the floor like so many sacks of potatoes. Micky broke out laughing as Peter looked on in stunned surprise.
"April fool!" He laughed and pointed. Davy lightly chuckled, but Mike stared at Micky.
"Darnit Dolenz." He said helping Peter up. "How could ya do that?" He flared his nostrils "Whos gonna fix that? I guess we can kiss our deposit goodbye." He sighed.
"I think we kissed that goodbye the time we backed the Monkeemobile up into the front door." Micky reminded him. "Come on, its all good clean fun."
"Yeah but till we fix the chair someones gonna have to sit on the floor." Mike said looking at Davy.
"Don't look at me, mate. I'm close enough to the ground as it is." He got up from the table. "Time to wash me hair."
"But you did it already once." Mike said.
"I know but now I got particle board in me hair." Davy said. "The prop department is getting cheap!"
Peter thought about that. "What?"
"Nothing." He said with a small wink.
"I gotta wash up them dishes." Mike said. He started to pick a dish from the table and one slipped out of his hand. It landed on the floor with a clatter. Mike went to pick it up and it slipped again, this time smashing on the floor.
"Who set the table today..." He started to ask. "Micky?"
"I'm sorry, but according to your nicely decorated work chart, it was Peters turn to pick up the dishes." Micky explained while Peter got off the floor. "Lightly sprinkled with corn oil."
"How come you didn't warn us?" Mike said. "I'm only lucky I picked the right chair."
"It would take away the fun element of surprise!" Micky laughed.
"You dont have any more planned for today do yoou?" Peter asked as Davy came from the bathroom decked in a striped robe. He also wore a towel wrapped around his head.
"I'm pretty sure thats the last one." Micky said. "The part I said about not having enough time to prepare was true. This was all last minute."
"Next time we gotta remember to wake up before him next April fools day." Mike noted. He noticed Davy. "Feeling better?"
"I'm great." Davy said. "Me hair must be dry now. I don't feel it at all." He said taking off his turban. Peter and Mikes eyes almost popped out of their heads when they noticed that Davy was completely bald.
"Davy, is there something different about your hair today?" Micky asked barely able to contain his laughter. "It seems to have a little more sheen today." Peter and Mike looked at him.
"Uh, no, why did you ask?" Davy said moving to look in the mirror. "What?" He shouted as he looked at his new baldness. "My hair, my beautiful hair." He said running over to the towel. "What did you do?"
"I forgot I put hair removal stuff in the shampoo." Micky said. "Sorry!"
"Sorry doesn't grow me hair back!" Davy said waving the towel like a little mad man.
"I can tell you to invest in some miracle grow!" Micky said. He looked his watch. "I'm sorry guys. I have to leave in the midst of this to go on a date. I met her at one of the gigs. I'll see you later." He waved and went out the door.
Minutes later
"Man, thats another year he got us." Mike said as they sat on the couch.
"Well he aimed to get me. You guys seemed to catch on to his tricks ever year." Peter commented. Davy glared at him as he seemingly tried to scotch tape strands of hair to his head.
"This is not working." Davy said. "Is that a wig on Mr Schneider?" He pondered. He went over to their ventriloquist dummy to investigate.
"We need to get Micky back and good." Mike sighed. "And I think I know how to do it."
"Do tell!" Peter encouraged.
"Yeah, do tell." Davy said sitting down with one of Mikes hats on.
"I do want that back, understand." Mike said.
"I hope you checked it before hand." Peter cautioned him.
"I'm good." Davy said taking the hat off to demonstrate.
"After the date"
Micky arrived home to circus astmosphere. There was a line coming out the door of young guys with drumsticks or small bongos. Micky furrowed his brow.
"Whats going on here?" He said as he tried to go in. A red haired man stopped him.
"And you are?" He asked him.
"I'm Micky Dolenz. I'm with the Monkees, and I live here." Micky said.
"Oh no you're not." The man said. "Are you on the list?"
"List?" He questioned. "What list?"
"I'm Chad." He said. "The band is having try-outs for a new drummer."
"But I'm the drummer!" Micky protested.
"Excuse me." A young blonde said as she passed by Micky.
"Don't tell me she tried out?" Micky asked matter of factly.
"Her? No, thats at least the fifth girl to see the tambourine guy in at least an hour." Chad said. Mike came up to the front door.
"Whos next?" He asked Chad.
"This guy, uh what did you say your name was?" Chad asked.
"Micky, Mike, Micky Dolenz." Micky said.
" I don't know a Micky Mike Micky Dolenz." Mike said. "That name would barely fit on a marquee. Are you here to try out?"
"I'm in the band." Micky said.
"We have an opening for a drummer." Mike said. "You are either trying out or like beating it." He said.
"Ok fine, I will try out." Micky finally relented.
"What about these people in front of him?" Chad asked.
"You just keep track of the clipboard, list boy." Micky said following Mike in. Mike sat down with Peter and Davy. Davy was now wearing an old fashioned cabby hat.
"Aww, Davy, I'm sorry about the hair thing." Micky apologized.
"I'm sorry, and you are?" Davy asked barely looking away from the drummer currently trying out.
"Micky, Davy, Micky Dolenz! We've played together for years!" He insisted.
"Micky Davy Micky Dolenz. I don't believe we've met." Davy said.
"Come on guys quit clowning around, you wouldnt really replace me." He said defiantly. He then thought about it. "Would ya." He asked quietly. He turned and looked as the try out drummer finished his set.
"Thats great, Keith." Peter said. "We'll call you and let you know."
"Well I really want to be a singer and a drummer." Keith said.
"We'll let you know," Peter said. "All right, next victim."
"You guys don't expect me to try out for my own band do you?" Micky asked as he approached the drum kit.
"Look at the ego on that guy." Davy said.
"Yeah, just barely walked in and he treats it like hes already in the band." Mike said. "Let's hear your stuff."
Micky picked up a pair of drum sticks and started to play a variety of songs. Peter and Mike and Davy looked on. They nodded and made various noises. Since Micky was playing loud he didnt hear what they said. After about five minutes they stopped him.
Davy put his hands together. "Just plain horrible. Awful. You can't even beat a cake mix."
"Aw come on," Peter said. "He tried his best."
"Yes, but if this is the best he can do, I'd hate to see his worst." Davy sighed. Peter nodded.
"Sorry man." Peter said. "Send in the next man on the way out."
Micky slowly got up and walked off the stage defeated. His own bandmates didnt want him! Even worse, they acted like they didnt even know him. He passed the area they sat at as they talked. He then frowned slightly, puffed up his chest and marched to the door. He swung it open.
"Okay Chad, send in the next, victim...." Micky said looking out the door. There was no one there. No Chad and no throng of drummers trying out.
"What?" Micky questioned. He looked around. They were all gone. Micky spun slowly on his heel as he started to understand what happened. Peter, Mike and Davy was standing behind them.
"April Fools!" They cried.
"Ahhhh, you really think you got me, did ya?" Micky said with a small smile on his lips.
"Think? I think we did get you." Davy said. "Wasn't I great as the mean british judge?"
"You were the best part my man, hair or no hair." Peter said as they exchanged high fives.
"All right you got me." Micky said. "Was I supposed to learn something?" He asked. The guys glared at him. "I know what it is, to tone it down a little bit on the jokes. You coulda just told me."
"We want to have fun around here. just don't let it go too far." Mike said. "All right?"
"I promise." Micky said holding out a hand. "No more pranks till next year." Mike took Mickys hand and felt a slight jolt. Micky let got and revealed his joy buzzer. "Ok, now I promise!!"
