019a - Fools in April

SpongeBob wakes up, and realizes that it's April Fools' Day. He then begins the day pranking Gary by saying they were going to be peasants and that they were going to have to move. He then pranks himself by saying that he was going to drink several glasses of lemonade, then goes to work. Squidward sees him and wonders what SpongeBob is happy about until he looks at the calendar, and realizes that it's April Fools' Day, which he says is SpongeBob's favorite holiday. Fearing the worst has to come (or so he thinks), Squidward calls Mr. Krabs saying he's sick and that he would not be able to make it to work. Mr. Krabs says that there is an art collector in his office who wants to buy Squidward's art and name him artist of the month. Squidward immediately rushes to the Krusty Krab, only to find that it was a silly prank by SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs. Squidward attempts to resign from his job, but SpongeBob persuades him to stay, promising not to pull any further pranks on him.

However, SpongeBob continues to prank the customers inside the Krusty Krab while hiding them from Squidward even though Squidward knows he is doing that. The customers seem to take SpongeBob's pranks lightly, because the pranks are considered funny and harmless. Although Squidward does not receive any more pranks as SpongeBob promised, Squidward gets annoyed over the SpongeBob and the customers' laughter. He decides to plot revenge on SpongeBob by showing him what he feels is a "real" prank, and sets a rope trap with a blob of mustard in the middle.

SpongeBob goes to clean it up, and he gets his leg caught in the lasso. Squidward cuts a nearby rope, triggering a chain reaction which sends SpongeBob flying around the restaurant, colliding into several objects and areas, ending with him into landing in a garbage can. Squidward laughs hysterically at him and celebrates his victory, but an emotionally and physically hurt SpongeBob runs out of the restaurant in tears. Bewildered by SpongeBob's reaction, Squidward calls out to him, saying that he was just kidding, even turning to the customers for confirmation.

But the customers too are appalled by Squidward's prank, declaring that it was far too harsh to be considered "funny." They all leave the restaurant in disgust, with one of them angrily saying to him "April Fools, jerk" and another one yelling, "YOU STINK!" Squidward insists that it was only a joke, but as he looks around at the damage to the restaurant that his prank caused, and conversely realizes how SpongeBob was hurt during each part, it slowly dawns on him that SpongeBob's pranks were actually funny and meant to make people laugh, while his prank was cruel and meant to hurt and humiliate SpongeBob. Overcome with guilt, and realizing that they were right in that the prank was too harsh, he realizes that he has to apologize to SpongeBob for what he did.

Squidward goes to SpongeBob's house and sees SpongeBob's hat behind a rock. Assuming it's SpongeBob, he goes over to apologize, but then sees that it's just Patrick wearing the hat and digging. Squidward asks where SpongeBob is and Patrick tells Squidward that SpongeBob is in the house "impressed" (instead of depressed) and was crying a lot. Squidward feels even worse and attempts to apologize when SpongeBob answers the door, but since apologizing to others isn't something he normally does, he initially finds himself to be physically incapable of simply saying "I'm sorry" to him.

Eventually, he is able to say it by putting a bubble over his head, so that SpongeBob does not actually hear his apology. Squidward walks away, saying that his conscience is clear, but is confronted by memories of what he did, feels guilty again, attempts to apologize to SpongeBob several unsuccessful times, and eventually goes back and genuinely apologizes to SpongeBob, but tells SpongeBob not to tell anyone. SpongeBob promises not to tell and forgives him, but then fully opens his front door, revealing that everyone else is inside behind him, and witnessed Squidward's apology.

They all say "April Fools!" to Squidward, who is flabbergasted by this. Squidward states that he was fooling them as well before running away to his house, while laughing maniacally.