Cintra Wilson Feels Your Pain is entirely reader-supported by YOU. If you feel that commercially unfettered writing is essential, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. In the early 2000’s I used to live in DUMBO, Brooklyn - a neighborhood essentially invented by a rich developer who bought most of the area when it was still a slum. “DUMBO” is an acronym for “Down Underneath the Manhattan/Brooklyn Overpass” — in short, it was a small cobblestoned neighborhood right on the banks of the filthy East River, in between the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges. I lived at 1 Main Street — the first building in from the water — the Clocktower building featured in a few films. I used to collect river-rounded bricks on the dirty little beach in front of my house, and coal that had washed up from industrial age shipwrecks. It was a big loft space with an excellent view of North Brooklyn.
A very nice, elegant tale. I had related experience with NYC wildlife a few weeks ago, on the other side of the East River. I was walking along it somewhere below Houston on one of those weird, overcast fall afternoons where sky and water are identical shades of oily slate, and I noticed this duck floating there all by itself. I began to feel stirrings of some strange kinship with this solo fellow traveler who was holding it down on the relatively still and quite opaque water, its pointy head looking this way and that, as if waiting for some signal. I came up to the railing to be in its presence, both of unseen or ignored by passing joggers. Then without making a single movement, it vanished. Not plunged, not dove, but instantly, wholly, and bodily, got yanked or sucked straight down into the unseen depths as if by some Lovecraftian tentacle, leaving only a few bubbles. I stood there and scanned around for quite some time to see if it resurfaced and nothing. Definitely put me off the whole idea of ever ending it all from the Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Williamsburg Bridge.
Loved this story. I was born and raised in Brooklyn and know the beauty of walking through Dumbo to the promenade at night just to be disturbed by a huge 3 foot rat - I desperately wanted Caduceus to be one 😂
you are a wilbur-force of nature it'll be like a devlish pleasurable easter egg hunt to find what part to re-stack but do-able great nyc slice of (wild) life thnx
I met our lady of the house, Miss Jacqueline Susann [Bouvier Kennedy Onassis - a recent addition] at the ASPCA in 2016, a few weeks after her predecessor, Lola (petite, fierce tuxedo lady), left us after nearly 17 years. Jackie O as we call her is a delight - most of the time. She's a gorgeous petite black beauty rather reminiscent of the cat on Cher's Dark Lady album (my favorite song, btw).
Superb story. Love how it ties together. You should share this with Lucian Truscott... he could use a shot of benevolent New York magic right around now.
Caduceus was definitely an entity, a guardian
Absolutely. Smartest male I've ever met.
One of your best!
Thank you sweetest Lucy! Love! XXX
Screw Boz!
Long live Caduceus! ❤️
So what happened after?
Did you still see Caduceus around?
I must know more about this mighty kitty!
I wish there were more to tell! I saw him a few brief times after that, but that was the big mojo experience. Then I moved.
Same question I had too!
Its what us Cat Daddies do if U leave ya woman alone too long.
That is the right answer.
A very nice, elegant tale. I had related experience with NYC wildlife a few weeks ago, on the other side of the East River. I was walking along it somewhere below Houston on one of those weird, overcast fall afternoons where sky and water are identical shades of oily slate, and I noticed this duck floating there all by itself. I began to feel stirrings of some strange kinship with this solo fellow traveler who was holding it down on the relatively still and quite opaque water, its pointy head looking this way and that, as if waiting for some signal. I came up to the railing to be in its presence, both of unseen or ignored by passing joggers. Then without making a single movement, it vanished. Not plunged, not dove, but instantly, wholly, and bodily, got yanked or sucked straight down into the unseen depths as if by some Lovecraftian tentacle, leaving only a few bubbles. I stood there and scanned around for quite some time to see if it resurfaced and nothing. Definitely put me off the whole idea of ever ending it all from the Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Williamsburg Bridge.
Ahhh Norris you purple-prosed bush-tit! Get back over to your own damned excellent Substack.
I feel bridge suicides aren't certain enough. There's always the horrible possibility of survival.
Ha-HAH! Bless you, Sister Cintra.
Loved this story. I was born and raised in Brooklyn and know the beauty of walking through Dumbo to the promenade at night just to be disturbed by a huge 3 foot rat - I desperately wanted Caduceus to be one 😂
So glad to meet you! I needed to spend time in delight with this marvellous piece- thank you for this succulence! 🙋🏽♀️✨🐾💓
Thanks for reading Ms. Dionne!
❤️❤️❤️
you are a wilbur-force of nature it'll be like a devlish pleasurable easter egg hunt to find what part to re-stack but do-able great nyc slice of (wild) life thnx
Wonderful as usual. I wonder how Caduceus's family line has weathered the intense gentrification of Dumbo.
They just know.
I met our lady of the house, Miss Jacqueline Susann [Bouvier Kennedy Onassis - a recent addition] at the ASPCA in 2016, a few weeks after her predecessor, Lola (petite, fierce tuxedo lady), left us after nearly 17 years. Jackie O as we call her is a delight - most of the time. She's a gorgeous petite black beauty rather reminiscent of the cat on Cher's Dark Lady album (my favorite song, btw).
Wonderful New York City story! Wonderful the spirits are gathering story!
Superb story. Love how it ties together. You should share this with Lucian Truscott... he could use a shot of benevolent New York magic right around now.
True. And Lucian, decades ago, had a New York (well, Jersey) wild cat of his own.
J'adore.
What a fascinating story. A mythic male cat showing you what not to accept. Life is a trip. I love animals.