Modern days, good old pranks!

It is common knowledge that FunInNature Inc. follows the good old April Fool's day traditions, so Nancy, the HR manager, has been up every night for over a month, thinking about how to come up with a good prank in the middle of a crazy pandemic, where a great portion of its employees have to isolate due to the 6 confirmed cases last Wednesday, and it had to be in the marketing department, the one department where people get up to talk to every single person on the floor. So it was a pretty big commotion to have to place 20 people in hotel rooms to isolate from their families. Twenty because 5 had to be let go last week, since they're no use online and FunInNature is struggling to make ends meet. All that while Nancy's 10 and 3 year old girls scream and fight outside of her bedroom/office. But no, she can't complain, she's one of the lucky ones. At least she still has a job and is able to provide, being a single mum and all.

Nancy has never before experienced such exhaustion, I mean, if only both of her girls had online lessons would be much easier, but what is she supposed to do with Tish while she herself is working and the Joanna, who has become a baby sitter, has school assignments to do? It's a battle during the days, which makes Nancy feel like crap at night, thinking she should't have yelled at them because they're also struggling. On top of all that, Nancy spends every night thinking that there's absolutely no point in doing something fun while life sucks harder and harder every day, and on the other hand, that she should be the one to help people cheer up, even if just for a moment.

"That's it!" Nancy shouts, in the middle of the night. "Let's go back to the good old days, good old pranks". What's the point in all this, anyway? Let's have a bit of fun, we all deserve it.

Nancy opens the computer and starts working, she'll have to work quickly if she really wants to do it on 31 March, so no-one suspects it's a prank. I mean, it's already the 29th.

At leasts she's not being forced to fire people while they beg for their jobs, so I guess it's quite a nice scape. Creativity was not an adjective that described her in the past, but being a mum of two, in an apartment, in isolation, makes you more creative than Shakespeare.

Once the last meeting of the 30th is over, Nancy sends a group message:

"Tomorrow, 5 minutes before our meeting, at 7:55 to be more precise, you will open your doors and find a gift on your place mat, please collect this gift and bring it to open during the meeting. You are all special and deserve to be appreciated. Have a good night. See you all tomorrow at 8.

Nancy can't help but smile, just picturing the scene.

It's funny how sometimes tough situations bring people together. Nancy used to handle employees' paperworks, and thought she was happy doing just that. "I'm not good with people", she used to say. Everything changed when she realised that there were people behind those employee's number.

It's 6:30 and Nancy is already up. She can hardly wait for this split second of fun with her co-workers. She messages the delivery guy:

"All good?"

"Yep"

"Cool! Cheers!

At 7:45 Nancy is already in front of the computer, laughing to herself, thinking it's been months since she's laughed like that and she should be proud to have come up with something to make her colleagues smile.

8 o'clock. Nancy logs in.

People start showing up, everyone super excited showing their gifts to each other, all wrapped in different shapes, sizes and colours. It's clearly an exciting morning. Nancy just observes while they compare and talk with excitement on their faces. It's definitely a fun morning. 'Let's enjoy it for a few more minutes', she just thinks.

Once Nancy notices a silence, she starts:

Well, as you all know, FunInNature is doing its best to survive during this tough times, but we never forget that YOU are the ones that make our company what it is, so this is our opportunity to show you our gratitude.

Please open your presents on the count of 3, are you ready?

People joke around.

I'll ask again: Are you ready?

YEEEEEES!

Ok, here we go! 3...2...1

OPEN!

Everyone starts unwrapping their gifts and JUMP UP all at the same time when the squirmy wormies that Nancy had made with her own hands after watching a YouTube tutorial, fly out of the box. It's definitely a proud moment seeing that they all worked perfectly well.

She was ready to print screen the meeting and took a shot of the exact moment people jumped and screamed.

Once everyone went quiet, Nancy says:

"It is of moments like this that life is made. This prank is a sign of appreciation, and most of all, respect for each and every one of you. I will send you a printed picture of this moment and ask you to place it on top of your computer. Every day, before opening it, look at this picture and be sure that, you are worth it. Smile for a second remembering this moment, and only then, start your day.

This will pass! Keep strong!

The tears on some of the more sensible ones, show Nancy, and us all, that she was successful in showing people that they belonged to something, that they were not only a number, or someone who was a great salesperson. In situations like this, we are able to see that professionals are human beings and, no matter your position, it's hard on everyone, one way or another, and it's up to us, to help bring people closer together and show support to one another.