gistfile1.swift

import AddressBook
import UIKit
typealias CThingPtr = UnsafeMutablePointer <ABRecordRef>
func cthing_dispose(o:CThingPtr?)->(){
    
}

func cthing_create(cString:UnsafePointer<Int8>)->CThingPtr{
    return nil
}

func possible_cthing_create(cString:UnsafePointer<Int8>)->CThingPtr?{
    //I don't know what you need to do here for your particular Cthing to check for existance
    return cthing_create(cString)
}

class Thing {
    

    let thing:CThingPtr
    
    convenience init?(url:NSURL) {
        self.init(name:url.absoluteString!)
    }
    
    init?(name:String) {
        if let path = NSBundle.mainBundle().URLForResource(name, withExtension: "thing")?.path ,
               cstring = path.cStringUsingEncoding(NSUTF8StringEncoding) ,
               aThing = possible_cthing_create(cstring) {
                    self.thing = aThing
        }else{
            self.thing = nil
            return nil
        }
    }
    
    deinit {
        cthing_dispose(thing)
    }
}