Practical

    Have you ever had a good practical joke played on you?  It might have been one you weren't aware occurred for some time before you were "let in on it".  It could have been something clever and funny.

   Have you ever had a practical joke played on you that wasn't either of those things?

   Did it turn out to be no joke at all but the perpetrators tried to make it one to cover that up?

   What if it was something that was actually criminal?

   At some point those responsible might decide their tracks needed to be covered.

   How would they go about that?

   Here's a guess, but it's only a guess:

• Don't tell the person being targeted if they hadn't been told yet.
• Do everything possible to keep the target of the prank from finding out.
• Convince others that knew about it that they'd be held responsible if they didn't help.

   Let's call that a phase 1.  If for some reason those responsible were extremely bold and proud of what they'd done (and absolutely confident they could get away with it) there might be a phase 2.

   Here's another guess at what a phase 2 might be:

• Don't stop the behavior that constitutes the "prank".  That might indicate knowing it was wrong to start in the first place.
• Involve as many others as possible in it.  There might be the mistaken belief that getting more involved can change a wrong into a right.
• Make it look like the target of the prank is the one responsible.
• Make it look like the target of the prank has apologized for causing it.

   Should all those fail there's something that no one needs to guess at for phase 3.  That one's easy:

• Make it look like the target of the prank knew about it all along.
• All that takes is to get them to Smile - and a smile can be caused by any reason.

   It's all very practical.

The people I know with answers won't give them when asked.  So I have a few Questions.