This is a story from a local news radio station in Huntingdon Bay, California
Voice 1: Good morning, and welcome to 'Daily Breeze', the early morning programme that mixes the catchiest music with good news - no bad or depressing stories here. If you want to start the day with a smile on your face and a song in your heart, this is the place to be.
Voice 2: And we begin this morning with a story that will brighten the mood of all animal lovers who like happy endings to their pet stories. We've all seen those sad posters stuck up on trees and lamp posts by furry or feathered friend owners whose pet has gone missing. How many of these have a happy ending? How many of these lost pets ever turn up again?
Voice 1: The first story we have for you today has the happiest possible ending. Four years after disappearing, a pet parrot has returned home to his owner Tom Wesley here in Huntingdon Bay. He had a little help from some kind people along the way, but Norman, an African Grey, is now back home.
Voice 2: But Norman had a little surprise in store for Tom on his return home. The parrot had always been a great talker, and could say a long list of greetings and phrases. He used to sit on his perch in the living room talking to himself most of the day.
Voice 1: During his four years away, Norman ditched all the English he knew and now, much to everyone's surprise, he speaks Spanish. Tom doesn't know any Spanish, but a friend of his has assured him that the words and phrases Norman is now coming out with are authentic. So far, Norman has squawked at least a dozen different phrases, and is coming out with new ones every day. And not a word of English!
Voice 2: It is not known what happened to Norman during his absence but he frequently says 'Hola' – which is Spanish for hello. The bird is well and healthy, although he did bite Tom when they were first reunited.
Voice 1: Jenny and Dennis Kent, who own a coffee shop in the next town along the coast, found Norman in a tree in their garden. Mrs Kent told us that when she first saw Norman perched on the branch of an orange tree, he was happily chanting 'Hola! Hola!' - as if he really wanted to attract someone's attention.
Voice 2: The Kents coaxed the parrot into their house with no difficulty, and then they put a note on a local community website along with a photo of the bird. Mark West, a local vet, whose own African Grey had gone missing, contacted Mr and Mrs Kent, and when he saw that Norman was not his parrot, he managed to trace Tom Wesley from the microchip in the bird's neck.
Voice 1: "It's really weird', Tom told us on the phone yesterday. "He's doing really well, and he's tormenting our cat as he used to do! I knew it was him the minute I saw him. We are all delighted to have him back home"
Voice 2: It’s great when a story has a happy ending. Now it's time for some music. How about 'Back Home Again' by John Denver?