Langford mom and son inspire smiles by regularly writing jokes on front gate
Jacob Herrington is in the midst of a mirthful mission that began when he was five years old.
"He’s a jokester through and through," Amy Grundy says, after recalling her son arriving home from preschool with his first joke.
"What did the one muffin say to the other muffin in the oven? Nothing. Muffins don’t talk," Amy says, smiling fondly after the punchline. "And then [Jacob] slapped his knee and cackled and cackled."
And after Amy stopped laughing along with her son, her heart started swelling with gratitude.
"It’s definitely medicine," she says.
Humour is the medicine that Amy says made her challenging childhood in foster care more manageable.
"I do everything for my kids," Amy says of her three children. "Because I never want them to have memories of nothing."
Which is why Amy crafted a jungle above one of the kid’s beds featuring faux vines hanging from the ceiling, a little stage for them to perform on in the living room (with a red carpet leading up to it), and a showcase for Jacob’s comedy on the front gate, which she painted with black chalkboard paint to write on.
The first joke she wrote on it was the muffin one.
"I think it’s funny," Amy says. "And it gives my son some confidence."
"When I was younger, I didn’t like being the center of attention," Jacob adds.
But now 13-year-old Jacob discovered he did like constructing his own jokes and deconstructing others.
"I usually think on it during quiet time at school," Jacob says.
And every couple of days, he cycles home with a different joke to tell his family.
"If you wait too long for the waiter," Jacob asks. "Does that make you the waiter?"
That was one of the recent jokes that Amy wrote on the gate for the public to appreciate.
"It brings a lot of joy to my day," neighbour Mud Fisher smiles.
He’s one of many folks in the neighbourhood who regularly visit the joke gate in search of a chuckle.
"What do you call a pig that does karate?" Mud smiles, recalling a recent joke gate offering that inspired a laugh. "And the punchline was, 'A pork chop.'"
Whether the jokes are out of this world – "What did the claustrophobic astronaut say? I need space" – or question computer companies, "If Apple made a car would it have Windows?", whether the jokes are his own or others, Jacob’s goal remains the same.
"If you’re having a bad day, and I tell them a joke and I make them laugh, then they’re happy for the rest of the day," Jacob says. "And that makes me feel good."
Which ultimately makes Amy feel even better.
"I just want them to have happiness," Amy says. "And really epic memories."
She also wants all three of her kids to know that the message that’s written on the other side of their front gate, that can’t be erased, is no joke.
"It says, 'I love you to the moon and back, forever, plus one day,'" Amy smiles. "They are everything."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.