More of Our Canada – July 2019

BULLETIN BOARD

THE ART OF

THE ‘DAD JOKE’

A text came through from my
sister one afternoon. It read,
“Why does a bird have feathers?”
I politely responded, “You’re tell-
ing it wrong.” I could sense the
confusion in her follow-up texts.
And, as any loving brother would
do, I explained that there’s a rea-
son they call them “dad” jokes—
there’s an art to it. If you mess
up even one word in the delivery,
the whole joke is ruined. This
was meant to be a joke about
ducks, not birds. She should have
asked, “Why does a duck have
feathers?” Dad jokes are based
on a simple concept, coupled
with a deadpan delivery, usually
resulting in a “punny” conclu-
sion. “Did you hear about the guy

that invented Lifesavers? They

say he made a mint.” Every dad

tells them. Every mom moans

when they hear them. And every

kid face-palms and rolls their

eyes. But dads laugh, every time!

So simple. So innocent. So sorely

missed. You see, I lost my dad

recently. And although there

are many things I miss about

him—his infectious smile, warm

embrace with the slight scent

of Old Spice, watching baseball

and talking hockey—I also miss

his dad jokes. A three-legged dog

walks into a bar and says, “I’m

looking for the man who shot my

paw.” A classic that Dad told far

too often.

As a father of four myself now,

I still looked forward to seeing

Dad and hearing his latest joke.

Every time I hear a new joke, or

tell one to my kids, I think of Dad.

Sharing this tradition with my

kids is the best way to keep Papa

in their hearts. With every joke, I

still picture his smile and see the

joy on his face from a successful

joke delivery. He may not have

elicited many laughs, aside from

himself, but he left an impres-

sion on everyone who heard him.

“You’ll never guess what I saw

today?” he would say. “A squirrel

puking—it was nuts!”

So the next time you have the

opportunity to hear one of your

dad’s corny old jokes, soak it in.

Embrace the moment. Trust me,

your dad is enjoying his time in

the limelight. He’s no doubt prac-

ticed the delivery and punchline

many times alone before shar-

ing it with an audience. “So, why

does a duck have feathers? It’s so

you don’t see its butt quack.”

Bob Picken, London, Ont.

HAVE YOU HEARD

THE ONE ABOUT

A car hit an elderly man.

The paramedic says,

“Are you comfortable?”

The man says,

“I make a good living.”

POOCH PALSCheryl Mader of Cambridge, Ont., writes,
“Every year, our friends gather at our cottage at Sauble Beach, Ont.
to start the summer camping season. That also includes the families’
dogs. Last year on Canada Day, we were able to capture a photo of
these five furry friends all dressed in their Canada bandanas. Pictured
from left are Bandit, Fiona, Bree, Miko and Duke.”

Bob and his late, joke-loving dad,

Robert (Bob) Picken Sr.

14 More of Our Canada JULY 2019