How Miles Got His Style
Miles was hatched into a poor family. There were a lot of ducklings to feed and not a lot of grasshoppers to go around. His parents always somehow managed to pull together just enough breadcrumbs to keep them all fed, but it was not an easy life. Determined that their ducklings would have a better life, his parents encouraged Miles to study hard from an early age.
Miles took to schooling like, well, a duck to water. He attended Duckling Elementary School where he learned all he could about the great ducks in history. He wrote reports on George Duckington, Benjamin Quacklin, and the great poet William Ducksworth. He also learned to speak a little Goose in his foreign language class. Soon, Miles had mastered all of the duck anthems and the basics rules for being a good duck. It was time for him to move on to Birdy High School, where he would mix with other birds and learn more advanced bird subjects.
Miles took to schooling like, well, a duck to water. He attended Duckling Elementary School where he learned all he could about the great ducks in history. He wrote reports on George Duckington, Benjamin Quacklin, and the great poet William Ducksworth. He also learned to speak a little Goose in his foreign language class. Soon, Miles had mastered all of the duck anthems and the basics rules for being a good duck. It was time for him to move on to Birdy High School, where he would mix with other birds and learn more advanced bird subjects.
Miles loved his first months at Birdy High School. He quickly made friends with other ducks. He also made friends with a small flock of geese and his Goose-speak improved rapidly. Miles and his new friends could spend hours playing Duck, Duck, Goose in the park. Miles became particularly close to a goose named Carlos. They were both on the Birdy Debate Team and were almost inseparable during school hours. Miles was quite happy.
Then winter came. Some ducks fly south for the winter, but Miles never had. His family stayed behind to tend other ducks’ vacant nests for extra income. They couldn’t afford a second nest in the south anyway. It was different for his new geese friends. They were all going to fly south, leaving Miles suddenly all alone. This made Miles very sad. He and Carlos the Goose tried hatching different plots that would allow Miles to come along. The problem was, even if his parents would let him go, Miles would have to travel with Carlos’s family. But Miles wouldn’t be able to keep up with the goose flock in flight. The geese all had much bigger wings than Miles and they could all fly much faster than Miles. Miles the Duck couldn’t grow goose-sized wings no matter how hard he wished for them. Miles was stuck in the north.
One blustery day, Carlos and his goose family and all of their goose friends took off for the south. Miles watched them go, waving for as long as he could, but the flock was quickly out of sight. Miles spent the next several months feeling lonely and helping his family tend vacant nests for the extra income. He really missed Carlos. Miles just couldn’t get his mind off thoughts of his goose friends. Everyday when he pulled on his knit hat and scarf and mittens, he would think about them having fun in warm south.
Miles was determined not be left behind the next winter. His parents had taught him never to give up if he really wanted something. So Miles used the long, lonely hours thinking about possible solutions to his one big problem: How could a little round duck keep up with a flock of large, fast-flying geese?
Then it hit him. It almost literally hit him. Miles was in the park shopping for breadcrumbs near a paved path. He was distracted by a cute girly duck across the field and almost didn’t get out of the way of a very fast moving bicyclist coming down the path. Luckily, the bicyclist saw him and swerved to avoid him safely. Feeling flustered, Miles shook his wing at the bicyclist and muttered about how bicycles move too quickly. Wait – bicycles move quickly! Maybe they move as quickly as geese!
Miles was inspired. After some discussion and checking the family budget, Mr. and Mrs. Duck decided that Miles was allowed to spend the duck bucks he had earned tending nests that winter on a bicycle.
As it turned out, Miles loved bicycling. He biked for hours. When the geese flew back north, Carlos got a bicycle too and they would ride around together, enjoying the breeze in their feathers. Sometimes they would practice having Carlos fly overhead and Miles would bicycle along underneath. As long as he was on his bicycle, Miles could keep up! The big problem was solved.
There was still a small problem though. Miles didn’t really fit in with the other cyclists on the road. The other cyclists were all wearing flashy cycling outfits. Miles was riding around duck naked. Miles put his thinking hat back on and decided to make some duck-appropriate cycling gear for himself and any other ducks in his situation. Miles wanted to make the cycling gear fun and functional. He went to work and designed a fun line of cycling jerseys and matching socks for ducks who like to cycle.
And, because he is a big-hearted duck who just likes to see everyone happy, Miles is willing to share those designs with you too! Thanks to a little duck who wouldn’t give up, now you can ride the miles in style wearing his designs. Just check out the human gear section of the website to pick out your favorite…
Then winter came. Some ducks fly south for the winter, but Miles never had. His family stayed behind to tend other ducks’ vacant nests for extra income. They couldn’t afford a second nest in the south anyway. It was different for his new geese friends. They were all going to fly south, leaving Miles suddenly all alone. This made Miles very sad. He and Carlos the Goose tried hatching different plots that would allow Miles to come along. The problem was, even if his parents would let him go, Miles would have to travel with Carlos’s family. But Miles wouldn’t be able to keep up with the goose flock in flight. The geese all had much bigger wings than Miles and they could all fly much faster than Miles. Miles the Duck couldn’t grow goose-sized wings no matter how hard he wished for them. Miles was stuck in the north.
One blustery day, Carlos and his goose family and all of their goose friends took off for the south. Miles watched them go, waving for as long as he could, but the flock was quickly out of sight. Miles spent the next several months feeling lonely and helping his family tend vacant nests for the extra income. He really missed Carlos. Miles just couldn’t get his mind off thoughts of his goose friends. Everyday when he pulled on his knit hat and scarf and mittens, he would think about them having fun in warm south.
Miles was determined not be left behind the next winter. His parents had taught him never to give up if he really wanted something. So Miles used the long, lonely hours thinking about possible solutions to his one big problem: How could a little round duck keep up with a flock of large, fast-flying geese?
Then it hit him. It almost literally hit him. Miles was in the park shopping for breadcrumbs near a paved path. He was distracted by a cute girly duck across the field and almost didn’t get out of the way of a very fast moving bicyclist coming down the path. Luckily, the bicyclist saw him and swerved to avoid him safely. Feeling flustered, Miles shook his wing at the bicyclist and muttered about how bicycles move too quickly. Wait – bicycles move quickly! Maybe they move as quickly as geese!
Miles was inspired. After some discussion and checking the family budget, Mr. and Mrs. Duck decided that Miles was allowed to spend the duck bucks he had earned tending nests that winter on a bicycle.
As it turned out, Miles loved bicycling. He biked for hours. When the geese flew back north, Carlos got a bicycle too and they would ride around together, enjoying the breeze in their feathers. Sometimes they would practice having Carlos fly overhead and Miles would bicycle along underneath. As long as he was on his bicycle, Miles could keep up! The big problem was solved.
There was still a small problem though. Miles didn’t really fit in with the other cyclists on the road. The other cyclists were all wearing flashy cycling outfits. Miles was riding around duck naked. Miles put his thinking hat back on and decided to make some duck-appropriate cycling gear for himself and any other ducks in his situation. Miles wanted to make the cycling gear fun and functional. He went to work and designed a fun line of cycling jerseys and matching socks for ducks who like to cycle.
And, because he is a big-hearted duck who just likes to see everyone happy, Miles is willing to share those designs with you too! Thanks to a little duck who wouldn’t give up, now you can ride the miles in style wearing his designs. Just check out the human gear section of the website to pick out your favorite…
