In Which I Admit To Joyfully Thwarting Some Youthful Shenanigans + Reader Comments

/ Ally Bean

 Joyfully Thwarting Youthful Shenanigans

Remember Muttley, Dick Dastardly’s sidekick?

It’s good to be an adult.

[Bwha-ha-ha!]

A few weeks ago we had an unusually warm day. The temps were in the 70s and it was dry and sunny outside. Around 4:00 p.m. I went into the living room to read.

Before I plopped down on the loveseat I decided to open the window just a little bit, about 2″, to take advantage of the pleasant fresh air. As I began to read I heard rustling sounds outside the window. That’s not unusual when you live on a wooded lot, so I didn’t think much about it.

It wasn’t until I heard voices that I became interested in what was happening outside the window.

“So you gonna do it?”

[Do what, thought I?]

I got up from the loveseat and walked over to look out the window.  Immediately below me were two neighbor boys, about 10 years old, who were scrunched down hiding in our bushes while having a serious conversation about what one was going to do.

“Maybe.”

The gist of their conversation, that I could clearly overhear through the open window, was that one boy had challenged the other to run up onto our stoop, ring the doorbell, then run back into the bushes to hide.

A classic prank, no?

They figured, correctly, that from their vantage point crouched down in our bushes they’d be able to see whoever opened the door and watch that person look confused.

IT WAS GOING TO BE HILARIOUS.

They just knew it.

So I waited patiently at the window. Eventually one kid found the gumption he needed to be a prankster. He ran up onto the stoop, rang the bell, then darted into the bushes.

THERE WAS SNICKERING.

Lots of it.

I did nothing except stand quietly at the window looking down on the youth below, waiting to see what they were going to do when no one came to the door.

[Truth bomb, I may have been smiling a bit too much.]

As you can imagine when no one came to the door these two boys were defeated. Their classical prank had failed. Their shoulders sagged, they stood up in the bushes, and muttered. Then the one who’d rang the bell stepped out of the bushes and started to walk across our lawn to his house.

“Dude not that way they’ll see ‘ya.”

To which the first one looked exasperated as he shouted back to his friend still in the bushes, “THEY’RE NOT HOME, haven’t you been paying attention?”

“Oh yah…”

And with that the boys walked slowly across our yard in plain sight, looking dejected, in a way that only failed pranksters can look.

And me, what did I do? I started laughing and am still smiling when I think about how I thwarted this prank. There are moments when being an adult is SO FUN!

Then, of course, who could forget Huckleberry Hound?

~ ~ • ~ ~

AND FINALLY FOUR READER COMMENTS…

About your take on the word Matriarch:

“I am the matriarch in my family, now that my mom is gone…and I don’t have a problem with that word. Or crone or even sea hag. So long as it is said to me with love, respect and good humour. No one laughs harder at me than myself 😂.”

~ Deb

“Call me any name you want to as long as I think ‘the shoe fits’…. ‘Elderly’ is a tough one, though. Some day, many years down the road, I may earn that particular stripe but only because of the eighty or ninety wonderful years leading up to it.”

~ Dave

“Matriarch is a word that means she is the head of her tribe, in my case, that would be my mother. My turn will come. Interpretation is a funny thing. Words are used in various ways and transform over the years, their original meaning becoming muddled.”

~ Dale

“Wow. I grew up in a matriarchal family so I see it as a compliment! Isn’t it funny how we all have our own perceptions based on our experience? Sea hag would raise my hackles!”

~ Kay

200 thoughts on “In Which I Admit To Joyfully Thwarting Some Youthful Shenanigans + Reader Comments”

  2. Matriarch is a position of power in our family! Since I’m it now, I’m enjoying the fact that people actually listen to what I say (at least when it comes to family). Elderly is the ultimate insult and we don’t even call my 93 year old brother that (or he would bean us!).

    Liked by 3 people

  5. I have visions of you actually turning the prank on them while they were feverishly plotting and planning while hiding in the bushes. Imagine if you had suddenly popped your head out of the window above and yelled BOO at the top of your lungs? Giggles all around!

    Liked by 3 people

  9. Drats! Foiled again! Although to be fair, the boys didn’t know they’d been foiled. Now, I’m remembering those old telephone tricks. You know: calling someone, asking if their refrigerator is running, and then telling them they’d better go catch it.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Linda, a perfect comment: Drats! Foiled again! Of course like you said, they didn’t know they’d been foiled but I sure did. I remember those old phone call games. “Hello, do you carry Prince Albert in a can?” “WELL LET HIM OUT!” Oh we were so funny!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. That was such a wholesome prank–no burning dog poop, no eggs, etc. I’ve had kids throw stuff at our house and run. I’ve had teenagers try and use our trees and bushes as a midnight latrine (was hilarious to let out playful, 90 pound dog out while their pant were undone). I dunno how you resisted, calling out, “Actually we ARE home,” as they were walking away. Would have been hysterical to watch them scream and start running.

    Liked by 4 people

    • AutumnAshbough, you’re right that this was a wholesome prank. We’ve had the house peanutbuttered, which is a horrible greasy mess to clean up. And we’ve had our mailbox smashed with a baseball bat a few times, but no kid [to my knowledge] has peed in our yard. I didn’t think to shout after the boys as they left, I was laughing too hard.

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  13. Both Muttley and Huckleberry Hound put a smile on my face, along with your post. I would have been so tempted to say something out the window after they rang the doorbell. I’m just not sure if I could have come up with something clever in a short amount of time besides, “Why hello, little boys!”

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    • Bijoux, I didn’t have anything clever to say to these boys so I let them go through their paces, entertained by what I heard and say. Somehow while writing this I got thinking about Muttley, then Huckleberry Hound. They make me smile, too.

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    • nance, yes I did ruin it and am proud to say I did. I was surprised by these two doing the old doorbell ringing thing, but couldn’t miss an opportunity to mess with their impressionable minds.

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    • Jenn, I could have done that, but I thought they might try ringing the bell a second time. They didn’t, but watching them walk away dejected was good, too. I had my fun at their expense.

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  17. Oh my gosh, this is too cute! Love that you overheard their devious plans and were able to thwart them. Also, I feel a little twinge of tenderness for little kids who still engage in this kind of pretty harmless prank. Must be super hard to properly ding dong ditch with the prevalence of doorbell video cameras!

    Liked by 4 people

    • Suzanne, once I heard what they were planning I felt like the game was afoot. They did their harmless kid thing, I did my thwarting adult thing, and there was balance in the world. I wondered about the video doorbell issue, too. But we don’t have one and I guess they could see that.

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  18. You could have stood waiting at the door and popped it open before he had a chance to ring, carrying on with, “there you are! You are so late! Get in here at once! The dog is waiting for you!” Then he and his buddy could have gone home, thinking what a close call it was with the crazy lady next door. 😁

    Liked by 3 people

    • Nancy, I thought that, too. When I started writing this post I instantly thought of Muttley. He knew how to snicker– and presumably still does somewhere online.

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  20. I love Dorothy’s comment…scaring the little hooligans by whispering a little ‘yessssss????’. Too funny – all of it. Thanks for sharing, Ally – and I feel the same as Nance — it’s kinda sweet that kids still do ‘ding dong ditch’. I had no idea! 🤣

    Liked by 4 people

    • Ernie, I wanted to see what kind of reaction there’d be to the plan thwarted so I did nothing. Plus looking down on these boys from above was a hoot. I’m sure you’re right about door bells with cameras, but ours doesn’t have one– which might be why the boys pranked our house.

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  22. Aww, this is so sweet! I love that kids nowadays (well, at least some) consider ringing a doorbell and running away the most devious thing they could do. I’m trying to think what I would have done, and I’m not sure… I probably would have played along. Too funny! Thanks so much for sharing, Ally! This made my day.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Esoterica, this was a good, time-honored, prank. I enjoyed overhearing the boys conversation and watching them from above. As for thwarting their fun, I figure being an adult has its advantages– and this was one of them. I’m glad this made you smile.

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  23. Second time in as many posts you’ve made a reference to huckleberries, Ally. That must be some kind of record. As for ding-dong-ditch, who knew it’s still a thing? As much as I want to don my parent hat and play the “too much time on their hands” card, I have to admit it sounds innocent and harmless compared to the other pranks you read about these days.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Dave, you’re right, I have gone down the huckleberry path lately. I’ve no explanation for this other than my addled brain seems to have latched onto all things huckleberry– which is really not much of an explanation. I figure that if a couple of kids want to ring my doorbell for something to do, have at it. After spending so much time in front of screens, to me it seems healthy for them to do something active like a ding dong ditch.

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  24. Mutley and Huckleberry Hound! Side note: My mother has a Mutley-like laugh. We always say MUTLEY when we hear her laugh.

    I enjoy pranks like this. I also enjoyed reading everyone’s ideas for how they would’ve pranked the boys in the comments. Fun stuff. 💕

    Liked by 3 people

    • Kari, how funny that your mother’s laugh reminds you of Muttley. He came to mind as I was writing this post. The boys snickering about their plan was so Muttley-esque.

      The commenters here are more clever than I. I didn’t think to do any of these great ideas, being more invested in seeing what the pranksters would do next.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. I’m with everyone who would have found a way to be a bit more obvious and scare the crap out the little pranksters! I’m very glad you got to listen and laugh at their plans Ally Bean. Open windows are a good thing!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Deb, somehow I didn’t even think about scaring the boys, I was more interested in listening to their conversation. Their plan was so innocent, but depended on one of them getting up the courage to do it. I agree about open windows.

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  26. ROFL!!! 🤣 That is funny. The boys across the street and their friend play door bell ditch in the summer, but since we got RING after a bear pulled down part of our gate trying to get to the garbage can last winter we can screen who’s there before answering the door. We don’t answer the door when they play this game anymore so they too leave dejected but, only long enough to get to the driveway and figure out which neighbor is next then they’re off like a shot laughing again. 😄

    Liked by 4 people

    • Deborah, a bear pulled down your gate? That’s much too exciting. I can understand why you got RING. As for kids ringing the doorbell for fun, same as it ever was. Don’t your neighbor kids see the video camera and avoid your house because of it? I guess not. I’m glad you watch them become dejected, that’s really part of the fun from an adult point of view.

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  27. Awwww…it’s so cute that kids are still doing kid things even with all the technological distractions they have. I mean, who would have thought that ding dong ditch was even still a thing with young people? What a lovely story about the enduring joy of youth. And how evil adults ruin all the fun!

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    • dominique100, I agree. It was delightful to see these two boys plotting to do a prank that is old-school and harmless. They were in high sprits and snickering like nobody’s business. I enjoyed my role in ruining their fun. Occasionally you have to be devilish. 😈

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  31. Kids in my neighbourhood have done that to me too, twice since I’ve moved here. I’ve yet to catch them at it, but so far as pranks go…it’s pretty harmless and if that’s as bad as it gets, I consider myself lucky. It’s called “Nicky Nicky Nine Doors” for some reason that I am not privy to.

    Thanks for highlighting my comment, Ally!

    Deb

    Liked by 3 people

    • Donna, I watched them as they walked away and they went down the street past their homes, so I suspect they tried their prank elsewhere. It was a lovely afternoon for shenanigans.

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  33. Oh, I love hearing about kids outdoors doing things that kids do. Makes me remember my days of getting up to innocent trouble. Glad to know it’s carrying on.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Katie, that’s how I felt about these two boys. They were doing no harm, just being kids outside, having some fun. Granted I thwarted their fun, but I’d guess that didn’t stop from trying their prank elsewhere once they regrouped.

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    • Janis, I didn’t think to do those things which shows a lack of creativity on my part. I was enjoying listening to their conversation and figured if I didn’t do anything I might hear more of what they were saying. I don’t know when we’ve had this kind of prank happen around here.

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  35. I also didn’t know that kids still did that! I have rung a number of doorbells in my day! 😊You’re a good sport and certainly a kind neighbor. Someone else might have given them an earful.

    Liked by 3 people

    • L. Marie, I suppose you’re right that someone else around here might tell them off. I found the whole situation delightful because I was a kid once… who may have done a few pranks. They did zero harm to the bushes and yard. What’s not to love?

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  36. The doorbell ringing kids made me think of how much fun it is to be an adult and also be able to laugh at other adults making questionable calls, as in when to ring another adult’s doorbell. We have our share of solicitors who make their rounds in the development, but the ones that fascinate me are those who come at the very end of the workday, Many folks aren’t even home from their harried commutes just yet, but the ones that just got home or don’t work…the last thing I think they’d want to do at that time of day is stand in the doorway talking to someone trying to sell them something. Rush hour/dinner time is probably the perfect time to hiss someone off by interrupting their rhythms whether they’ve been at work or not. I guess I’m playing a prank on them because I don’t answer the door.🚪

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    • Bruce, I agree with you that trying to get people to buy things at the end of the workday is crazy thinking. I wonder why all the sales people do that? The last thing I’d want to do is discuss pest control or gutter guards at 5:30 p.m. after working all day. I like how you prank the sales people. Not answering the door has its advantages– or entertainment as in my situation with the boys.

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    • Jan, so true. These kids definitely thought they were clever, but to me they were more cute than clever. Such an unexpected chuckle to the end of my day.

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    • Marian, I loved what these two pranksters were trying to do because cute kids are cute. I did, however, feel like I was being handed an opportunity to mess with them so I didn’t answer the door. Being a devilish adult. 😈

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  40. Oh it’s been a long while since my siblings, neighborhood friends, and I rang doorbells and then ran and hid for cover. We loved that silly prank. Now when I think about it, it’s so crazy to do such a thing, but back in the suburbia of the 1960s it was a goofy delight.

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    • Robin, I hadn’t thought about any prank like this in years. We did this, too. I only accidentally discovered what was up with these two boys, but once I did I was entertained. I could have opened the door but thought I’d prank them [in a way] by not opening the door. 😉

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  41. Nicki Nicki Nine Door!!! I can’t believe kids still play this! I am all awash in memories. Next thing you know they’ll be calling the KFC to see how big the breasts are, or calling YOU to see if your refrigerator is running.

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    • Nicole, I’ll confess that I was completely charmed by these boys plotting to ring the doorbell– and then watching what they did when I didn’t open the door. It was a happy throwback to childhood. We did the refrigerator running phone call, but not the KFC one.

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    • Rita, I know, I know, I missed an opportunity but I was fascinated by their conversation and what they’d do next so I stayed quiet. Honestly I don’t know the last time any kid has done this so it was kind of special. It felt retro.

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    • Suz, oh I never thought of that and it would have been hilarious. I was more into listening to their conversation than finding a way to scare them. Yet I can see that’s an opportunity lost. Next time

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    • Eilene, those cartoon characters stick with a person. The minute I heard those boys snickering I thought of Muttley. The whole situation with the pranksters was a fun, probably for all of us in our own ways.

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  47. My husband and his brother (and their friends) get together and share/reminisce stories of their many shenanigans and laugh so hard at the memories. They were definitely mischief-doers; my poor MIL! LOL So I can picture these 2 kids snickering under your window talking about their youthful shenanigans 50+ years later, saying, “Oh, Mrs. AllyBean was never home when we tried to pull our shenanigan on her!” Or you may choose to put on an act to make memories of their shenanigan on you stand out in a more hilarious way next time! Ha ha!

    Liked by 3 people

    • M, I adored these two boys, who were kind of more wannabe mischief doers than actual doers of mischief. Thanks to me, of course. I take your point about giving the pranksters something to remember and next time, should there be one, I’ll be more devious. I bet your husband + friends stories are a hoot. We all might have done something mischievous in the past. I’m just saying…

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  48. I was waiting for a different punchline! I expected YOU to pull a prank on the boys. Like…dropping a water balloon onto their heads through the open window (likely frowned upon in the 21st century but DEFINITELY something an adult would have done to a prankster kid when I was 10) or opening the front door dressed in a zombie costume and walking outside in full character mode walking directly to their hiding place.

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    • Elisabeth, I’m sorry to disappoint you but my zombie costume was at the dry cleaners that day and we’d used up all our water balloons the previous weekend, so I just stood there and enjoyed the boys conversation. Next time, though, I’ll be better prepared. 😉

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  49. I almost feel bad for the boys. Thwarted plans and all 😉 Too bad you didn’t go ’round the back and scare the bejeezus outta them!

    Oooh! I made your blog with one of my comments! I feel special 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Betsy, IF I’d had a water balloon available I MIGHT have tossed it at the boys, BUT I don’t have a ready supply of water balloons sitting around the house. OBVIOUSLY that’s poor planning on my part. 🙄

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  52. Hi Ally – that does sound like a bit of fun (and the cracking open of a window is just refreshing – eh?)
    and now my question for you is what you call this prank?
    we called it “ring and run” and my hubs said he and his pals called it “dingdong ditch”

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  53. I love your response to the pranksters. Too bad they didn’t utter some arcane piece of personal intel (like, “Johnny puked all over my Xbox!”) so that at some later point in time you could mysteriously say to him, “Too bad about Johnny vomiting all over your Xbox.” That really would freak him out!

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  56. For a moment there, I thought you would answer the door, not looking confused but looking directly at where the boys were hiding. Another way of thwarting their plan. But hey, since they thought you just weren’t home, maybe they’ll do it again 🙂 And where do you live anyway, Mayberry? Those boys sounded too cute 😉

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    • Linda, I wonder that, too. I’m sure the kids realized we didn’t have a video doorbell so that might have been why they picked our house. But eventually we’re all going to have techie doorbells. Guess we’ll find out

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  58. That is too funny Ally! Way back, before the pandemic (will we ever stop saying that?) when my husband worked full time, he would come home for lunch most days. The way our living room area and front door are aligned, he was able to stand in such a way that he could watch the television without being seen in the sidelight windows but still be right at the front door. One day, the doorbell rang and the culprits were absolutely shocked and shaking in their shoes when he opened the door immediately, practically catching them in the act. He still laughs about that today.

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    • Gigi, that’s a great story of your husband accidentally scaring the culprits. How wonderful is that scenario! I’d laugh about it for a long time afterward, too. I know I’ll be chuckling about these kids whenever I see them this summer.

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    • Neil, I’ve been thinking the same thing. If I thought they were going to do any damage to the property I’d be worried, but these two are clumsy goofballs. If/when they return I’ll open the door and let them have their fun, but this time the fun was me thwarting them.

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  61. I’m so glad you indulged yourself in having fun with these kids! Mutley was my absolute favourite cartoon character – that snigger just cannot be bettered 😀 😀

    I can visualise the whole thing just like it was a scene in one of those coming of age tales. What a hoot. That experience must’ve put you in such a great frame of mind for the rest of the day.

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    • Deb, I hadn’t thought about Muttley in years, but once I heard those boys the image flashed into my mind. I thought the kids might realize I was standing directly above them and give up, but they were focused on their goal. I’ll admit it was fun to thwart them, instead of scare them. 😈

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  63. You could have taken it a step further and called, “Hello there” out the window, giving them a startle. On the other hand, sometimes observing youngsters from a hidden vantage point is enough fun in itself.

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      • Kids here play street hockey because it’s Canada, but otherwise the nearby park sits empty. Pranksters are cute….as long as they don’t become gangsters at Halloween and throw eggs at your house or toilet paper your trees. I’d still bribe them with brownies….

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        • No one plays street hockey around here– and I just realized that. Before we lived here we lived in a town where kids did that. I agree about how the cute little pranksters better not become troublemakers. I suppose by thwarting them I may have shown them pranking doesn’t work– and maybe that lesson will carry through. 🤞🏻

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  66. I remember my son and his friends were our neighborhood ding dong ditchers for awhile and they were terrible at it! Being gan adult is fun because kids don’t expect it when we ouwit them.

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    • Annie, a few commenters have mentioned that I could have scared the kids sideways into tomorrow IF I’d wanted to. But I was enjoying overhearing their conversation. I’m glad this made you smile about your sister.

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  68. Oh, my, that’s hilarious, and the silly kids don’t even know they’re famous on the interwebs now that you’ve told their tale from an adult’s perspective. 🤣😉 Did you have a plan B, as in, getting to the door the moment they reached for the bell and scaring the hell out of them? Thanks for the smiles! 🤗

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  69. Oh to be that young and enjoy playing harmless pranks and you were there to witness it. When I was young my best friend Linda Crosby lived next door. We played at our house mostly as she had two younger siblings so her mom had her hands full. On rare occasions we played at her house and when her mom was busy, we’d sneak over to the phone, pick it up carefully and listen … it was a party line and old Mrs. Wilson was quite the gossip!

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      • There was a signal for each home on a party line and you only picked up if you got your set of rings (like one or two or three which signaled it was you). I’m sure some of the adults would pick up the receiver to make a phone call and find it occupied, so they stayed on the line listening in. 🙂

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    • San, yes it’s a classic prank that I did, probably most kids did? If not that then something equally silly, harmless, but annoying if you’re the target of the prank.

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