Marcus Goes First

MARCUS:  Can I go first this time?  I never get to go first.

SAM:  What do you mean you never go first?  You push any and all of us out of your way so you can always be first.

MARCUS:  But I mean I want to go first in a post.

MERCI:  Well, at least he can't shove us off the steps to get in the first word.  Let's let him go first.

MARCUS:  Good.  Now what do I say?

BUDDY:  You mean you want to go first but you have no idea what you want to say?

MARCUS:  Uh, yes, that's what I mean.

BUDDY:  How about if you tell our friends that today we are interviewing the crew from the blog Barking From the Bayou.

SAM:  Yes, Bentley and Pierre.  They are pretty famous newscasters, along with Paisley the Weather Lab.

MARCUS:  Oh, thanks.  Today we are interviewing -

MERCI:  Buddy already said that.

MARCUS:  Bentley and Pierre are famous -

SAM:  I already said that.

MARCUS:  So what do I say?

MERCI:  Well, you could say, let's get started, but I just said that, so how about if we just get started.

MARCUS:  Being first is sure no fun.  Next time I want to be second!

Funny Farmer Canines: Please introduce yourselves and your family.

Bentley: Hey y’all, I am Bentley the Basset. My mom writes our blog and I help her out with the reviews. I am also the main anchor of our news program. I live with my mom and dad. Pierre lives with us, but our Weather Lab, Paisley lives with my human boy and his wife. She comes to play at our house and sometimes spends the night. We let her give the weather reports each Monday. There are even certain toys and treats that we let her review. Being only six-months old, she has a bunch of energy! Most days it is just Mom, Pierre, and me. Psst, it’s your turn.

Pierre: Hello, my name is Pierre and I am four years old. Being a White West Highland Terrier, I enjoy hunting and chasing (mostly toys and tree rats). I’ve lived with Bentley for a while now. He is three years older than me, but there is not a generation gap. When Paisley comes to play, as the “granddogs” we both get extra special treats. We use FaceTime each week to get the weather report from her.

 Funny Farmer Canines: How did you come to live together?

Bentley: My mom and dad got me from a friend. He had received me as a surprise birthday present. He wasn’t ready for a new puppy after just losing his senior dog. I’m sure that I was born to be exactly where I am. It was fate.

Pierre: I’m living here with my Gramma and Papaw because my dad is in the Army and they moved to Alaska. I decided to stay with my mom’s parents because they had just lost their Golden Retriever. They were really sad and Bentley took it very hard. I made them happy, besides Alaska is big-time cold for a bayou boy. I know that I’ll live with my mom and dad again soon, but I love being spoiled here!

Funny Farmer Canines: Tell us a little about the area where you live.

Bentley: We live in Louisiana. It is known for Mardi Gras, the LSU Tigers, New Orleans Saints, Cajun cooking, Spanish moss, alligators, and bayous. Pierre: That is why we are Barking from the Bayou.

Funny Farmer Canines: What kind of mischief do you prefer?

Bentley: I don’t get into too much mischief. I enjoy playing, going for walks, and belly rubs. However, don’t leave food in snout’s reach. I’m not above snatching it. That’s not mischief, it is just a fact.

Pierre: I am the chief squirrel chaser and toy de-stuffer. Barking to alert everybody of possible dangers outdoors is in my job description. I can’t count the number of times it has been up to me to warn them of mailmen, package deliveries, humans jogging, or other dogs.

Funny Farmer Canines: How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to write a multi-faceted blog?

Bentley: We started our blog in December of 2013, so about a year and a half.

Pierre: We enjoy making people laugh along with introducing them to new products, bringing them the news, and fun dog stories.

Photo provided by Barking From the Bayou

Funny Farmer Canines: You are co-anchors of the BFTB NETWoof News with Weather Lab Paisley. Tell us a little about this.

Bentley: Yes, we are co-anchors on our weekly news report. It is featured every Monday and we share good news stories about dogs and other animals. We even feature sports, so if any of your readers have pets that participate in sports or agility, tell them to drop us a note.

Pierre: Bentley and I are responsible for the headline news and sports. Paisley is our Weather Lab because she is a chocolate Lab. She gives a great forecast and plays a mean game of chase. We love her.

Funny Farmer Canines: You two head the Blogville Administration's Office of Media Relations. Would you explain the duties of this office?

Bentley: Certainly, the office of Media Relations involves us reporting the major happenings and announcing upcoming events like the Blogville Rodeo. We try not to repeat gossip, but there are times when we share some juicy Blogville tidbits.

Pierre: It also gets us great seats for things such as the mayoral debates. We still get to participate and bring our girlfriends to the dances. We also serve with the Blogville Police Department and share any criminal information with our citizens.

Funny Farmer Canines: You work so closely together on the blog, the NETWoof, and the Media Office. Does this ever cause any friction between you or are you in tune with the direction and output of each task?

Bentley: We are pretty much in tune with each other. He does steal my toys and has been known to de-stuff some of my favorites. I have to bop him on the head when he does that. It’s my duty as the oldest.

Pierre: Yeah, he is fun to mess with and I like to get him chasing me. We usually get two of each toy because I am expected to rip one to shreds.

 Funny Farmer Canines: If your mom were to describe what makes each of you special, what do you think she would say?

Bentley: She would get all mushy. It is just what she does whenever she talks about me. Sometimes it is embarrassing. You see, I changed her entire life. She is an author and I inspired her book series, The Returns. My face is even on the cover of the first book. I’m also the reason that she changed her blog from an author/book blog to a dog blog. I have a seven on my side and I am her seventh dog. She even got a tattoo last week with a heart, dog paw and #7 in it. I tell you, the woman is obsessed with me.

Pierre: She is my Gramma and so I get spoiled rotten. It is the law or something. I sleep cuddled up next to her or on top of her. She thinks I am very smart and completely adorable. I am living the dream here with my Gramma, Papaw, and best bud, Bentley.

MARCUS:  Well, I might have missed the introduction, but I do know how to close this.  Bentley, Pierre and sometimes Paisley can be found at Barking From the Bayou.