Fake vomit has a longer life than almost any other prank. You can use it again and again: on car trips, your sister’s bed, your aunt’s couch … the only limit is your imagination (and the patience of your friends and family). Instead of spending money on plastic vomit, make your own fake vomit at home. It takes a little time, but it’s totally worth it.
what you need
* Measuring cup
* Water
* A small bowl
* A box of lemon gelatin mix (Jell-O or similar brand)
* A spoon
* A jar of applesauce (chunky style is best)
* A microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan
* A tablespoon
* A packet of unflavored gelatin (look for it in the baking section at the store)
* A teaspoon
* Uncooked oatmeal
* Cheddar cheese or similar hard cheese (optional)
* A plate
* A spatula
what you do
THE SETUP
1 Ask an adult to help you boil 1 cup of water and pour it into a bowl. Pour in the packet of lemon gelatin mix and stir well. Add 1 cup of cold water and stir again.
2 Put ¼ cup of applesauce in the microwave-safe bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the lemon gelatin liquid.
3 Ask an adult to help you heat the applesauce mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, until it’s hot but not boiling. (If you don’t have a microwave, ask an adult to help you heat the applesauce in a pan on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. When it’s hot, get help emptying it into the bowl.)
4 While the applesauce is still hot, sprinkle the packet of unflavored gelatin on top and stir well.
5 Sprinkle in a teaspoon of oatmeal. If you want, crumble a small piece of cheese into the mixture.
6 Pour the barf mixture onto a plate. It should be liquid enough to spread out. Use a spoon to move the solid chunky part around so it looks like real vomit. You might want to sprinkle a little more oatmeal or cheese on top.
7 Put the plate of puke in a safe place to cool and harden. It needs at least 4 hours.
8 When the vomit is dry, use the spatula to remove it from the plate. Make sure it is completely dry so it won’t stain anything when you use it.
PULL THE PRANK
1 The world is full of opportunities to use your fake vomit. Here are just a few ideas:
* Car trip: During the ride, place the fake vomit on the floor of the backseat. Then start complaining about feeling sick to your stomach. Say things like, “I’m not feeling too well,” “I’m a little nauseated,” or “I really hope I don’t throw up.” Then cough lightly and make some retching sounds. Wait in silence for a few seconds, and then in a small voice, announce that you just puked on the floor. Or, if your dog is along for the ride, put the vomit on the backseat and say, “Uh-oh, I think Ralph got carsick when we weren’t looking.”
* Movie theater: Place the vomit on the floor next to your friend’s feet when he isn’t looking. Then point to it and say, “Ew. Looks like someone ate too much popcorn.”
* Late to the bathroom: Leave the vomit on the floor next to the toilet for someone to find.
* A sick night: Put a piece of fake puke in your sibling’s bed before bedtime, or place it on the floor for her to find when she wakes up in the morning.
* Use your imagination! Carry a piece of fake vomit wherever you go, and keep an eye out for interesting places to leave it. But do not bother bringing it to school—unless, of course, it is “Bring Some Fake Vomit to School Day.”
Horace de Vere Cole:
Always Horsing Around
Horace de Vere Cole was born into a wealthy family in Ireland in 1881. He started doing pranks in college and never stopped. One of his tricks was to challenge a well-known politician to race him down a London street for fun. Cole would let the fellow pull ahead of him and then yell, “Stop, thief!” until a police officer showed up. The prank went a little too far when a member of Parliament got arrested as a pickpocket. Hopefully, the guy had a good sense of humor.
Cole seemed unable to resist the urge to pull a prank. He even pranked the citizens of Venice, Italy, when he was there on his honeymoon. Venice is a low-lying city filled with canals instead of roads, and when Cole was there, the city had no horses—which is what gave Cole his idea for a prank. In the middle of the night, he went to the mainland and returned with a boatload of horse manure. He scattered it around the city’s most famous square, the Piazza San Marco. The next morning, Venetians were scratching their heads trying to figure out how their horseless city had produced all that manure.
An artist’s interpretation of the manure-filled square.
