Name: Hamish McHammish
Year: 14
Degree: Hospitality
This week’s campus cutie is a well-known and loved St Andrews BNOC. While some might think his story is more appropriate for our Campus Celebrity section, I disagree: I have to turn in an article, and he is quite cute.
Hamish came to St Andrews about fourteen years ago via his owner, local resident Marianne Bard. Independent and self confident, he soon decided he could not belong to just one woman, and set off to bless the masses with his presence and greatness.
One of the few gingers people will willingly allow into their homes, Hamish has made a comfortable life for himself as a connoisseur of hospitality and surveyor of local goods. His days are busy: he wakes up with sun, and does a quick patrol of South Street to insure the stores are opening, and the merchants are keeping busy. Once satisfied the town will open in a timely fashion, he will usually steal a quick nap before returning to South Street to taste the day’s product from the bakers, butchers, and fishmongers. “I won’t be here forever, so I want to make sure that I’ve taught everyone how to run things as best as I can…” he would say if he could talk. He’d most likely also stress the importance of supporting local merchants, something along the lines of, “there are a lot of characters in St Andrews, I don’t see why people would want to anonymize themselves at a chain store, when the food from local stores is of better quality, similar price, environmentally sound, and often comes with a rub or a scratch of some sort.”
After his morning duties are complete, he goes for a walk to stretch his legs, and ensure the students find their way to lectures. Exercise is crucial to a cat, and while he is not known to hunt, Hamish likes to keep the option open; a fat cat rarely catches a fat bird (unless it’s at the lizard). Perhaps tired after the day’s excursion, he might seek out a sunlit area to rest his weary paws and enjoy a snooze, before beginning his afternoon rounds.
Back to South Street he goes, and begins the flat inspection portion of his day. Hamish understands that many students are living away from home for the first time, and likes to keep an eye on them; make sure they’re doing okay. He tends to check if their fridges are full, if the food is good, if the beds are made, and if they’re comfortable to sleep on. He feels his mature presence also keeps student tenants in line, and eases the minds of the town’s landlords. It’s hard work, but Hamish is ready for the task.
Running St Andrews and taking care of approximately 7,200 students is very time consuming, and Hamish has found little times for amours. There have been trysts, of course, but ultimately his heart belongs to Minick St Andrews. One of the greatest ambassadors of Town and Gown, Hamish hopes to continue his reign for many fresher’s weeks to come. “Someone has to teach these people how to live”, he could be imagined as saying with a detached purr.
For more information on Hamish and his good will missions to flats at merchants, and to read first hand accounts of how he has changed people’s lives, check out his facebook page, and local author Susan McMullan’s in depth biography of the ginger gentleman, Cool Cat About Town.