Man brings community together with talking cockatoo at Delco Wawa: “He’s like my son”
By Madeleine Wright
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RIDLEY TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A Delaware County man is attracting attention because of the feathered companion he brings with him to the convenience store.
Retired butcher Bill Wasson, 84, from Glenolden, brings his pet cockatoo, Tiki, to the Wawa on MacDade Boulevard in Folsom almost every day. It’s been a cherished ritual at this location for the last eight years.
“He loves people and he’s very independent,” Wasson said. “He talks when he feels like it.” Wasson feels it’s important to get his bird out of the house so he’s not cooped up all day in a cage.
Tiki, 28, is a big hit with the kids and brings a smile to the faces of customers who have come to expect him. Wasson said birds of this species can live as long as 50 years.
“He’s like my son,” Wasson said. “You know, that’s what he thinks, I’m his dad.”
Tiki waits outside while Wasson goes inside to buy coffee and a newspaper. The pair helps bring the community together. People talk to, pet and take photos of Tiki.
“I love the peach feathers. I’ve never seen a bird this color,” Wawa customer Erin Breckley from Center City said.
After the pair finishes breakfast inside Wasson’s pickup truck, the two head to the Wawa in Glenolden for a change of scenery.
“Tiki’s here every day. Every day he’s here. Every time I pull up, he greets me with a squawk, squawk, squawk!” Wawa customer John Hoffman from Folsom said.
Lauryn Hughes, general manager of the Wawa in Folsom, said Wasson isn’t just a fixture of the community, but a Delco legend.
“It’s a Delco thing, for sure,” Hughes said. “So tell me you’re from Delco without telling me you’re from Delco. You see the bird and you know where you are.”
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