Summertime, A Cat We Met in the Wintertime at a Mini Bodega on Hudson Street in the Village
After writing so much about dogs in the Village, we wanted to make sure we don’t leave out the cats. The problem is…you don’t see cats out in the streets too often. I made up my mind, if I see a cat I’ll write about it. Then, one day I did, but then it was gone. So, we decided to write about Doris Diether, a cat lover so near and dear to our heart and the heart of so many Villagers.
Then, we were out for a walk on Hudson Street and there was that cat. This time, we saw it go into the Soota Smoke Shop. We met Willie her owner, who told us her name is Summertime. He seems to be very good to her and he is protective of her. At first, he didn’t want us to come behind the counter to see her resting after, as he said, a morning of hard work. Once he got to know and I think trust us, he lets us visit her wherever she is in the store.
He is concerned because she is about seven months young and needs to be spayed.
Our porter, Ronnie, knows Willie and Summertime. Ronnie is a cat lover who volunteers for the ASPCA, has rescued and taken in many a cat to live with him. He told us Willie is very good to Summertime. “Not all store owners who have cats are good to them like Willie is to Summertime.” He too is working on helping to get Summertime spayed.
I talked with Dr. Nicole Cerniello, DVM, Medical Director for the Greenwich Village Animal Hospital on Hudson Street. She has seen Willie and Summertime and agrees, “He seems very good to her. And, the front desk staff loves watching her hang out in the flower beds across the street.”
One day I stopped at the shop to visit Willie and Summertime. He told me Summertime was in the Hampton’s for a day. He told me there’s a young girl who loves Summertime who often takes Summertime with her to the Hamptons for the day. Summertime even wears a lavender rhinestone collar.
What a life Summertime has!
She is loved and seems happy, we are hopeful gets spayed, doesn’t get hurt by the street traffic, and lives a long healthy life in the Village!
Photos by Brian J. Pape, AIA.
Willie holding Summertime with loving care in front of the bodega.
