An Experiment in Vandalism

For a couple of years now, I've had a very specific prank in mind, but hadn't had the correct timing to do it. Last year, April Fool's Day fell over a convention I volunteer at, and the year before I hadn't thought out the idea early enough to make it happen. But this year, I was prepared.

This year, April Fool's Day happens to land right next to Easter. A rare occurrence, and perfect for what I had intended. So what could be a perfect Easter prank, you ask?

Well, let me show you the sign. (You can click on the images for a larger view.)

I live in a town home that is part of several others called "The Villages of River Woods." At both entrances to this area, there is a sign (shown above) that designates this area. It's easy to tell what it is: trees in front of a river.

But... I think it looks like a bunny. A blue rabbit looking to the right from the trees. Maybe you can see it, maybe you can't. But trust me, there's a bunny there.

And I wanted everyone to see it.

Over a year ago, I told Andrew what it looked like to me and when he saw it too, he complained that he couldn't unsee it. "You've ruined my brain," he said. That was okay with me. I was eager to ruin minds for this. The bunny prank had become my obsession. So I made a plan to put the rabbit on the River Woods sign.

I took a photo, and drew out on Microsoft Paint what I wanted it to look like. Then I had to decide what materials to use. Andrew suggested glass paint for automobiles. It comes off in the rain and isn't hard to use. I had also considered just painting it with regular wall paint, since this sign needed repainting anyway, and maybe I could just help speed the association along. But I didn't want to be that person. So instead, I decided to go with construction paper. Easy to put up, easy to take down. And no harm would be done to the sign.

I decided to only do one sign, because the second was harder to get to, a little taller, and not seen by as many people. The one on River Woods Lane intersecting River Hills Drive would be good enough. Yesterday at Target, I also decided to switch to a firmer poster board and that I would either use tacks or tape to affix the pieces, depending on what would work once I got up there. I assumed the sign was wood, but as I found out (and Andrew bet me so), it was metal. So tape it would be. I also cut up several sizes of the pieces in case I didn't have the measurements in my mind correctly. Two eyes, three noses and two mouths in all.

I decided that 3 A.M. seemed the best time to do this. Bar crowd should be home and hopefully no police patrolling. I was going to just walk down from my house, but took the car instead as to have a quick getaway. Also, it was cold outside.

My alarm went off at three, and Andrew and I got into his truck and we drove down the street, me quickly affixing tape to the pieces. When he stopped the car, I ran to the sign, stuck the pieces on, and hurried back. I had the tacks with me, but as I stated earlier, I found out that it was metal and they weren't needed.

Overall, I think it turned out well. The only thing I think I should have changed was the smile. I cut the mouth too big and probably should have used the smaller piece. But by the time I realized it, I didn't want to risk driving back a second time and possibly exposing ourselves.

After all, it was Easter morning and the Easter bunny could be out there watching me.

This morning, I went to grab donuts for Andrew and I and check the sign to see if the pieces were still on. I was a little worried that someone would have come by and torn them off. But luckily, they were well in tact.

Yes, I definitely should have made the mouth smaller. Ah, well. It's still a smiley bunny. 

This is the view from River Hills Drive, as you are coming up to River Woods. If you can't see a bunny now, well, you're just not looking very hard. 

So, that is my Easter/ April Fool's prank. Andrew said I was "bad ass," but then took it back instantly so I wouldn't think that my bunny prank was actually vandalism. I didn't spray tag graffiti on a bridge or anything.

But I might. If I saw a bunny there. ;-)