Jim Noles & Pinot

Who is in the photo at right?

On the right is me (is that even remotely grammatically correct?), Jim Noles. I’m an attorney by day with a Birmingham, Alabama, law firm and an occasional writer by night. On the left is Pinot, a year-old “pound puppy” of dubious ancestry.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We were just dropping by our local bookstore here in Mountain Brook, Church Street Coffee and Books, on a Saturday morning.

What's brewing?

Just a tall coffee – I’m never sure as to how to pronounce the other stuff.

Any treats for you or Pinot on this occasion?

No, but they do bake a mean peanut butter cookie at Church Street.

How were you and Pinot united?

We adopted her last January from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. The first day we visited, she had two brothers in the litter with her and then, the next day, they were gone. We had to rescue her.

[photo left: Noles the Younger, 2d edition, and Pinot]

How did Pinot get her name? Any aliases?

We’ve made many a questionable decision under the influence of fermented grapes. And wine stains. Thus “Pinot.”

Does Pinot have a favorite place to go for outings?

She is always up for a ride.

Please tell us about your new book featuring Pinot.

In all modesty, it’s probably the most important piece of American literature in the last quarter century. Either that, or it’s simply a collection of off-the-cuff observations about our family’s first year with a puppy. The jury is still out.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

This is sort of embarrassing to admit in Alabama of all places, but she really hates mockingbirds.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

Anything. Literally anything. Yesterday I caught her chewing on a broken Corona bottle. No joke.

Who is Pinot's best pet-pal?

Her favorite partner-in-crime is Buster, a poodle-schnauzer mix from around the corner. But she had a Jedi-Padiwan relationship with Lexi, an elderly yellow Lab down the street.

What is Pinot's best quality?

She is absolutely delighted to see us every single time we walk through the door. A wise man once said, if you are ever curious about who loves you more – your wife or your dog – then lock them both in the trunk of your car, drive around for an hour, and, when you finally open the trunk, see which one is happy to see you. That would be Pinot.

If Pinot could change one thing about Alabamians, what would it be?

She would prefer that they be made of bacon – at least those who are Auburn fans.

If Pinot could answer only one question in English, what would you ask her?

“Does your butt really taste that good?”

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Pinot could speak, who should voice her?

Drew Barrymore, but with a slightly inebriated Moldavian accent.

Learn about Dog Days: A Life in a Year of a Dog Named Pinot, and visit Jim Noles's website.

Writers Read: Jim Noles (May 2008).

Writers Read: Jim Noles (August 2009).

Writers Read: Jim Noles (August 2013).

--Marshal Zeringue