One of the advantages of being a father and a grandfather…
is something done on my family’s behalf…
to teach my children and grandchildren how to have fun…
how to smile… how to laugh.
I take this responsibility seriously…
using humor to give my children and grandchildren a lift…
No need to thank me family…consider it my gift.
Through the years my jokes have been so good…I’ve repeated them like clones.
Occasionally they’re met with laughter…more often they’re met with groans.
Groans in the beginning…but of this I am proud:
Someday when they get older…I’m sure they’ll laugh out loud.
My granddaughter calls them Dad jokes…and they‘re usually met with…”Oh PopPop!”
Dad jokes instead of bad jokes…as if that will ever make me stop.
“What time did the man go to the dentist?” I ask, as unsuspecting Ava wonders why.
and she shakes her head and grimaces when…”tooth-thirty!” I reply.
Dad jokes…I can live with that label…if it makes my humor all the more bearable.
“Have you heard the joke about a piece of paper?” I ask her
“Never mind…you’ll only think it’s tearable.”
“How am I doing, Ava?” I ask. ”Stop me if you’ve heard these before.”
“PopPop please” Ava pleads holding her hands over her ears…
“I can’t take this anymore!”
But I am unperturbed…knowing if this joke doesn’t make her laugh…
or give her a little thrill
I’m sure the next one…or the next one…
or perhaps the next one will!
“Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom?” I ask.
“Oh, Ava, this is a funny one…you’ll see.”
“Because, as everybody knows,” I say…“pterodactyl has a silent pee.”
Wait, hiding there behind that groan…was that a smile I did see?
as a life-long teller of Dad Jokes…that’s good enough for me!
Yes, I take this responsibility seriously…my mission is not only to make her smile…
Not only to teach her about humor…but to do so…with some style.
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