BoudreauxFamily - 15

Down in the Louisiana marshes lived the Boudreaux duck family, a loud, proud Cajun flock with more personality than feathers. One summer, Mama Clotille announced they were going on an adventure. “Pack ya wings, babies. We headin’ to Miami.” Papa Boudreaux strutted like he’d won the lottery. Tee‑Boo bounced in circles. Tante Marie fainted for dramatic effect. Uncle Thibodeaux kept snoring. They hitched a ride east, following the smell of boiled peanuts all the way to Florida. When they reached PortMiami, the cruise ship towered above them — bright, massive, and blasting Latin music across the water. The ducks didn’t hesitate. A family dropped a churro. A seagull stole someone’s hat. In the chaos, the Boudreaux ducks waddled behind rolling luggage and slipped right up the gangway like seasoned criminals. Inside the atrium, Tee‑Boo quacked at the glowing fish on the giant LED wall. Papa Boudreaux claimed the buffet as his kingdom. Mama Clotille took over a poolside lounger. Tante Marie joined a salsa class. Uncle Thibodeaux fell asleep in a hammock and was mistaken for décor. Passengers adored them. Crew members tolerated them. The ducks lived like royalty. One night, Tee‑Boo discovered a hidden speakeasy behind a fake wall on Deck 7. The bartender opened the door, saw the entire duck family, and sighed. “Only in Miami.” They danced, flapped, and sipped tiny pineapple juices until closing time. When the ship returned to Miami, the Boudreaux ducks waddled off like world travelers and hitched a ride back to Louisiana — proud, sunburned, and full of stories no other ducks could match. They weren’t just bayou ducks anymore. They were Miami cruisers, Cajun legends of the open sea.