Once upon a time, deep in the heart of the magnolia state, Mississippi, there was a beautiful, sun-drenched coastline known as the Gulf Coast. You might consider Mississippi as all about soulful blues music, mouthwatering barbecue, and vibrant, green wetlands. But it’s also a great place for beach bums and sun-soaked kids – those who love to ride the waves and live for the thrill of surfing. Every day, when the sun peeked over the horizon, bright and shiny, like a giant tangerine, the children of Mississippi would dash for their surfboards, as excited as sea otters on a seafood- buffet day. They were the wave warriors, the gulf coast gang, the Mississippi mavericks – the coolest kids on the coast. The most famous among them was a funky, freckled kid named Fred. Fred's hair was a shock of bright red, like a tomato in a salad, and he had a surfboard that was as colorful as a parrot in a rainbow. But the most hilarious thing about Fred was that he always surfed in his bright yellow rubber duck swimming trunks. He claimed they made him surf faster, but everyone knew it was because he loved the quacking sound they made when he moved. Together, the Mississippi Mavericks and Rubber-Ducky Fred would spend their days riding the waves, laughing under the clear, blue sky. They were living proof that Mississippi wasn't just about catfish and cotton fields, but also about sunny coastlines, surfboards, and kids who loved the thrill of the sea. And yes, about the odd boy in his quacking rubber duck trunks.