This line of thought gave me the idea to get in touch with someone who is very familiar with flying south--the Ugly Duckling. I thought it might be interesting to see how he's doing and what his memories are of his tumultuous childhood.
Greg: Thanks for flying by. So, what are you up to these days?
Duckling: Well, the usual things swans do, swim on ponds, soar through the air, look graceful.
Greg: I suppose it's a far cry from the days of your youth.
Duckling: Oh my, yes. Those were trying times, I can tell you. I thought that I had no future. I certainly did not have a place to call home.
Greg: Tell us a little bit about that. That is, if it's not too painful.
Duckling: It is rather, but that's all right. My therapist says it's healthy for me to talk these things out. Let's see, I suppose I should start at the beginning. Do I need to lie down?
Greg: No, that's okay, I'm not a therapist.
Duckling: It all started right after I was hatched. I was different from my siblings, being much larger and gangly than them. My beak was too big, and I was a different color. The animals in the barnyard called me ugly, and the description stuck.
My mother was very supportive, but my father...well let's just say he wanted nothing to do with me. That was a very hard thing to overcome.
Greg: Yes, I can see how troubling that could be. But you said that you had no place to call home.
