The Morning Report
Get the news and information you need to take on the day.
Every day, a self-described motley crew of Clairemont locals gathers to hold court in front of a Starbucks at the Clairemont Town Square. They opine on politics, the weather and most audibly, on each other.
Among them is Mojo, a usually fast-talking 12-year-old parrot who’s become a fixture at the coffee shop. Tuesday morning he made a brief appearance when his owner, Kevin Barrett, stopped by for a drink.
“Hi Mojo,” came the greeting from the table of friends. Bob Morey stood up from the table to coax a comment from the bird. But he was mum.
“I’ve been trying to get him to say” (something too inappropriate to print), Morey said.
Nearby, a coffee shop employee turned a crank to raise some patio umbrellas. The creaking noise elicited the first audible response from Mojo, more a squeak than a squawk.
“He’s had some stress lately,” Barrett said of his bird. “He got a new cage and changed houses a couple of times. But he’ll be OK.”
I’m reporting from Clairemont today as I explore a different San Diego neighborhood each day this week. Have a story idea for me? Email me at adrian.florido@voiceofsandiego.org or call me at 619.325.0528 and follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/adrianflorido.