My Interview with Meg on the CBC

Meg is the summer host of The Early Shift on Radio One. She asks me questions. I speak right into the microphone. I'm wearing headphones. Frankie and Chance are sitting with Meg.

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. You know me. I live on Sparkle Road with my buddy,  Grandpa James. He's really old. He was the second Canadian to get off Noah's Ark, you know.

We can listen to Meg on the radio. So can you!

 Oh. Wait! Chance lives with us, too. He's a newborn cubby someone left in a basket on our doorstep. He's a wee little thing. He's so newborn he doesn't have any teeth. He just drinks chocolate owls' milk. Sometimes he climbs way high on things and can't get down. He makes little squawky noises when he's afraid. I have to say, "My son! Come down from there this instant!" Then I have to help him. I look after Chance. He's a handful!

Oh. Wait! Frankie lives with us, too! He's four, you know. Frankie and me go to the Scruffy Maple Day Care Centre on Sandwich Street. That's in Windsor. We live in Windsor. Windsor is in O Canada.

Nous ecoutent Radio-Canada, aussi.

Know where we are? We're at the CBC. It's the radio station. Oh, it's the TV station, too. Grandpa James says CBC means Canadian Broadcasting Corporation but he makes up stories, you know. I think CBC means Charles the Bear Cub. I could be a cub reporter. I could ask questions. I could read the news, too. Oh! Wait! Frankie could help me!

Okay, here's my weather report: It will be very dark tonight and sunny tomorrow.

Meg has an important job. She has to ask questions. People listen and learn new things.   I will tell you a secret.  I think she might be a princess, you know.

.Jonathan helps her. He's the producer. That's another important job, you know. His job is to help find the stories so Meg can ask the questions. Oh! Wait! He pushes the buttons, too.

This is where the CBC is on the radio dial but we don't need a radio. We can listen on the laptop, too.

I'm the guest, today. I put on the headphones. Jonathan moves the microphone to the right spot.

Meg asks me about Smarties. I know all about Smarties. Meg says, " Charles, can you tell our listeners what colour of Smarties have to be eaten last?" I know the answer. I tell everyone, "We have to eat the red ones last 'cuz that's the rule. It's in the Smarties Song, too." I

Did you hear that? Grandpa James is hollering, "Where are my handsome bear cubs? Where are my Sons of Windsor? Where are my Princes of Ontario? That's me! Charles! That's Chance! We're handsome bear cubs. We're Sons of Windsor and Princes of Ontario!He's hollering, "Where is my handsome Frankie? Where is my Knight of Knewfoundland and my Lord of Labrador?" That's Frankie! He's a handsome bear cub. He's the Knight of Knewfoundland and the Lord of Labrador.

We gotta go find Grandpa James so we can get our ears tickled and our noses kissed. This is me, Charles the Bear Cub saying, "Be good citizens. Be kind to friends and neighbours. Then you can eat Smarties and drink root beer.

Oh! Wait! Grandpa James found a microphone in the attic. He says we can play with it. Come over to our house and play with us! We can build a radio station in the tree house! We can be the CBC together! Okay! Over and out!"

Sharing

Hi. I'm Charles the Bear Cub. You know me. I live on Sparkle Road with my buddy, James. He is forgetful and really old. He was the second Canadian to get off Noah's Ark. He must be 20 years old! I have to look after him. Oh. Wait! Chance lives with us, too. He's a newborn cubby someone left in a basket on our doorstep. He's a wee little thing.

Know what? Chance is wearing headphones. He's listening to music. He likes Raffi. Raffi sings songs. I like those songs. I like Bananaphone and Down by the Bay but my favourite is Shake My Sillies Out. That's what Chance is listening to right now. I can tell 'cuz he's making little squeaky noises and bouncing around.

We have to share the headphones. I know what sharing means. It means we take turns. Sometimes Chance doesn't want to share. He doesn't understand 'cuz he's just a newborn cubby. I'm nice. I don't take them away from him. I play nice. I say, "My turn, Chance." Sometimes I say, "Pretty please." Sometimes I say, "Pretty please with Smarties and marshmallows on top?" Most of the time he shares. He's learning. I have to set a good example 'cuz I'm older.

James says sharing is something good citizens do. Good citizens get to make snow people and drink hot chocolate and dig holes in the back yard. I want to be a good citizen!

Did you hear that? James is hollering, "Where's my handsome bear cubs? Who wants to walk down to Westside Foods for groceries? " That's us! Charles and Chance! We're handsome bear cubs! We gotta go get our ears tickled. No! Wait! I want my tummy tickled, too! Oh! We get hugs and we get our noses kissed. I hope we can buy a wallermelon at the store. I l-o-v-e wallermelons! They're yummy and that's my favouritest food in the Canada Food Guide. This is me, Charles the Bear Cub saying, "Be a good citizen. Remember to share! Bye for now. Over and out!"