Ohio's happy reunion has P'town purring
PROVINCETOWN — Reunited, and it felt so good. And a little bit strange.
(Staff photo by Eric Williams)Ohio the missing cat was returned to Provincetown yesterday after delicate weekend negotiations between Provincetown police and an attorney representing a West Orange, N.J., couple.
The result of the negotiations: a fluffy orange ball of love back in owner Ben Thornberry's arms. No charges will be filed against the couple, who own a condominium unit in Thornberry's Provincetown neighborhood.
Ohio vanished around Christmas, and shortly thereafter Thornberry received a peculiar anonymous letter, containing misspelling and odd grammar, from someone who admitted stealing the cat and giving it to a Harwich-area family. The note alleged that Thornberry was derelict in his cat duty.
''Ohio will not be coming back,'' it read, in part.
Many of Thornberry's East End neighbors vouched for the tender care that he provided Ohio. Some even helped him organize the rather boisterous ''Free Ohio'' campaign that has been playing at the Cape tip recently, complete with T-shirts, posters and even a fundraising party last week.
''Ohio kind of became a symbol of the Old Provincetown versus a lot of the new trends that are coming to Provincetown,'' said Jennifer Cabral, a Thornberry ally. ''The idea of kind of a relaxed way of living, the bohemian style that's changing into a nouveau-riche one.''
The New Jersey couple, termed ''persons of interest,'' by Provincetown Police Chief Ted Meyer, apparently indicated through their attorney this weekend that they had knowledge of Ohio's whereabouts.
Police declined to identify the couple, but confirmed that they owned a Provincetown residence. Police also said that the couple, through their attorney, offered Thornberry $1,000 for Ohio, providing that Thornberry agreed not to talk publicly about the case.
Thornberry refused the deal, with vigor, and further negotiations led to an agreement to return the kitty to Provincetown by 4 p.m. yesterday.
Ohio was early. He was brought to the Grand Union parking lot on Shank Painter Road yesterday morning and transferred to a third-party, who took Ohio to the Provincetown police station, police said. The cat appeared plump and healthy.
Shortly thereafter, Thornberr Ohio were reunited in the police conference room, a sweet moment for several Ohio supporters and Provincetown police officers. Ohio, approximately 14, a beloved mooching institution in the town's East End, cuddled contentedly with Thornberry, setting off an almost universal ''aww, isn't that cute.''
The feeling in the room seemed to be that while nobody likes a cat thief, the important thing was that the tubby tabby had been safely returned.
''We had to come to an understanding in order to get Ohio's return,'' said Provincetown police Sgt. Warren Tobias.
That understanding, that no charges would be filed in the case, suited Thornberry, at least for the time being. ''I'm just glad that we have him back,'' he said. But Thornberry said he was considering some sort of civil suit against the couple, who he said are responsible for Ohio's disappearance.
''It really showed who these people were when their final thing was to throw money at me,'' said Thornberry. ''Rich people, coming in from out of town thinking they can buy everything. Particularly in February, when I could use $1,000.''
Ohio is scheduled for a week of rest and relaxation inside Thornberry's home, and then he'll be up to his old tricks, making the rounds along Commercial Street.
Eric Williams can be reached at ewilliams@capecodonline.com.
(Published: February 7, 2006)