If you can’t have fun, what’s the point?

I’ve always tried to have fun in life, at all levels, including work. And I’ve tried to surround myself with fun folks.

Folks who are negative all the time can just drag others down. Everyone has their down moments, but the constant negative waves are just a downer.

I prefer the positives. And I like to laugh. Nothing wrong with that.

And there’s nothing wrong with a little prank here and there, or some friendly ribbing. Enter Chatham-Kent municipal councillor Derek Robertson.

My daughter’s Grade 5 class was recently tasked with doing a first-person profile of a politician. She chose Robertson, as she played soccer with his daughter a couple of years ago and likes Derek.

So she sent him a list of questions via e-mail and he called me to see how detailed the answers should be.

“It’s a Grade 5 class. No need to go overboard,” I said.

And, naturally, Derek replied with university-level answers.

Then again, I neglected to tell him that when our daughter presented the profile, she was to do it with a sock puppet of Derek.

There’s nothing quite like a used white athletic sock (one of mine) some buggy craft eyes, black knitting wool for hair that’s tightly glued to the sock “head,” a large set of red craft paper lips, a craft paper tie and “blazer”, and a set of pipe cleaner arms to make a politician.

I actually took a picture of this version of Robertson and used it as his image for my caller ID on my cell phone.

Of course, I had to finally share the news with Derek. He thought it was so funny that he encouraged me to post it on Facebook, where a couple of other councillors and members of the public thought it was a hoot.

Derek was a great sport about it. I’m not sure there are too many politicians out there who would advise someone to post a puppet Doppelganger of them on a social media site, knowing the ribbing would flow in.

Then again, perhaps the best comment of all under the picture of his twin was from Robertson himself: “Didn’t think I was the puppet on council.”

Only in a Grade 5 classroom in Chatham, Derek. Oh, and on Facebook.

As for his alter-ego, I think it would make an excellent topper for the Robertson family Christmas tree. Or it may wind up impaled on his car’s antenna…