In 2025, the Mystic Krewe of Barkus named Scrim—New Orleans’s most infamous canine escape artist—their grand marshal. In a dramatic leap from a second-story window triggered by a cat ambush, this seventeen-pound Westie mix bolted in April 2024. Surviving hurricanes, a blizzard, and two gunshot wounds while roaming fifty-seven square miles of the city, Scrim’s every move was tracked by a network of volunteers, surveillance cameras, and crowdsourced maps. 

Defined by his dogged fortitude and courage, his exploits became legend: snacking on chili dogs, dodging streetcars, crashing Saints tailgates, and even chatting with a giraffe at the zoo. But it was a New Year’s Eve firework scare and a run to Harahan that led to a turning point—and a cozy couch. Pondering his newly acquired leisure time, Scrim gave his first-person account of his adventures to trusted friend and beloved storyteller Margaret Orr. 

Now, Scrim recounts his journey from runaway rogue to local icon in his own words (with help from Margaret Orr). Scrim My Tail: As Told to Margaret Orr is a heartwarming story of survival, sass, and finding out that, sometimes, the best adventures lead you home.