I don’t know why I found this so funny, but two of my coworkers recently played a running prank on a third wherein Pranksters 1 & 2 routinely and elaborately commiserated over the difficulties of owning a miniature pet giraffe.

Sample conversation:

Coworker 1: “On, man, I’ve spent a fortune ordering eucalyptus leaves this winter.”

Coworker 2 (in dry British accent, which makes this that much more hilarious to me): “Yes, the prices are really up since the drought in Australia.”

Coworker 3, listening in amazement: “Wow! Where do you get eucalyptus leaves?”

Coworker 1: “You order them off the internet. But the giraffes also like ferns.”

Coworker 2: “Frankly, I don’t think that’s the worst part of owning a miniature giraffe. They’re just so noisy, especially at night.”

Coworker 3, still amazed: “What kind of sounds do they make?”

Coworker 2: (Makes elaborate series of yodeling noises).

Me: (Crying in tears behind my OR mask).

Coworker 3 was so astonished by the tales of miniature giraffe ownership that she told several other people about it, at which point Coworker 4 had to step in advise 1 & 2 to come clean with Number 3 that there are, in fact, no such things as miniature pet giraffes. 

Here’s where I think the story originated. Note the April 1 publication, which is quite fitting.

This also perpetuated the myth: