An Interview With The Grand Bogen!

But we’re here to focus on the man of the hour, the one who leads the charge into the fruit buffet, Rufus the Yellow Kougra!

Rufus resides on Mystery Island year round, running a small shop in the northeast coast, and has been chosen as the Grand Bogen for many years in the past, and due to his excellent work he continues to be chosen year after year. The Grand Bogen is responsible for overseeing all the events, welcoming and entertaining the guests, both locals and tourists, as well as making sure everyone is as happy as can be. Watching Rufus in action, it’s easy to see why he is consistently chosen for the position. Once he even cooked a Tigersquash three times just to get it perfect for one of the visitors. He always goes above and beyond the call of duty and does not take his position lightly, legend has it that if the Grand Bogen fails his duties that the new harvest will sense the displeasure of the guests, causing the vegetables and fruits to rot. It’s quite a burden he carries, but he executes his duties so well no one needs to worry.

Now that the festival is deep underway, Rufus has his hands full, but just before everything started I was able to pull him aside to chat and ask a few questions.

Me: I’m glad I could pull you away from your preparations, it must be really difficult for you to get away at this time of year.

Rufus: Oh my, yes! I appreciate the break in action and being able to get off my paws for just a few minutes, I really should be thanking you.

Within moments of meeting, I was already charmed! I now know firsthand how he becomes the Grand Bogen year after year.

Me: Is there anything you’d like to share about Gadgadsbogen, maybe some traditions or facts?

Rufus: Yes! Of course! A very strange tradition, at least very strange to me, is that if you plan to indulge in a fruit juice, it is bad luck to match the colour of the juice to your ensemble. Correct, if you want to have a pink fruity juice, don’t wear a pink dress! The reasoning why is beyond me, it would make it so much easier to disguise a stain if it was all one color, and as you can tell by my fur I’m always getting splattered with fruit juice.

Me: *chuckles* What an interesting legend.

Rufus: Another piece of information for you: the title of Grand Bogen is ALWAYS given to a Kougra. Many of the tales gloss over this, but when it is mentioned the reason behind it has to do with our strong paws and cheery attitudes.

Me: Speaking of attitudes, your smile has become legendary in its own right. You’ve actually won an award, you places first in the first annual Neopies Awards for it.

Rufus: *beaming, showing off his gorgeous smile* That’s right! I still have my trophy displayed in my hut!

Me: You’ve been the Grand Bogen many times now, something you’re the most famous for, but what else should we know about you, Rufus?

Rufus: Aside from fruit, my biggest passion in life is caring for Petpets. When Old Maraqua was destroyed, there were so many water dwelling Petpets without a home. I took them in and created the Rock Pool where you can check out and buy your own little friend. My favorite is the Ghoti, I’ve rescued more of those than any other.

Me: Ghoti are so cute! I didn’t realize you were such a Petpet lover, you really do a little bit of everything.

Rufus: *laughing* I also really love playing all the games! I’ve been invited three times now to participate as a contestant on Better Than You and it gets more fun every time.

Me: Wow, you sure do fit a lot into your busy Grand Bogen schedule. It seems you keep doing things all year long.

Rufus: A rolling stone gathers no moss, I have to stay busy or I’ll get bored. This year’s Gadgadsbogen will be the best one yet, I’ve worked very hard on it and spent many long hours planning out the parties, arranging accommodation for all the tourists, making sure we have enough plastic cups for all the smoothies and juices.

Me: Wow, that’s all your responsibility?

Rufus: Yes, as the Grand Bogen I do as much as I can to keep the party going and the fun happening. I do everything from greeting guests to cooking and cleaning, it’s a rough job but someone has to do it. It makes our population so happy, it’s one of the few times we can get the natives and locals and tourists all together in harmony and bond. Things are still pretty divided between the jungles and the towns, tensions can run high, but this month everyone is so well fed and carbed up it’s impossible to argue. I’m happy I get to have such a big hand in making this happen.

Me: We all appreciate you Rufus! You make the event truly memorable, it wouldn’t be the same without you.

Rufus: *blushing* Thank you, thank you. I hope to see you and all your readers at the Gadgadsbogen Festival this year!!

So there you have it, a charming chat with Rufus! If you want to enjoy all Gadgadsbogen has to offer this month, keep an eye on the news and in the food shops for all the new creations sprouting up, and head over the Mystery Island and feel the warm weather vibes. What better way to celebrate the end of winter than with a big bowl of freshly picked, ripe, sweet juicy fruit while watching the waves lap up on the sands of Mystery Island?