A whimsical phenomenon has taken over the neighborhood of Chelsea in New York City with the appearance of thousands of tiny duck figurines of various colors and styles sticking to metal surfaces like fences and light posts. The trend, which began before the pandemic, has now been revealed to be orchestrated by a mysterious man known only as Brian.
A year-long investigation by Gothamist has uncovered the origins of the duck-dropping trend that has captured the attention of children and adults alike in Chelsea. It was discovered that the trend began with Brian, a well-dressed individual who placed LEGO toys around the neighborhood before transitioning to tiny ducks.
As the investigation continued, a woman named JJ Cerillo was identified as the one responsible for the recent surge in duck distribution. Cerillo, a dog walker, spends her weekends gluing magnets to the bottom of the creatures and placing them all over Chelsea. She estimated distributing over 30,000 ducks since December.
Despite the mystery surrounding Brian and Cerillo’s involvement in the duck craze, a new twist emerged with the appearance of a red metal box labeled “Library” on a street corner. Inside the box, a sign encourages passersby to “Give a Duck, Take a Duck.” The box has quickly become popular among children, adding a new element of excitement to the neighborhood.
With the identity of Brian remaining elusive and the duck-fueled trend continuing to bring joy to the community, the tiny figurines have become a beloved and quirky feature of life in Chelsea.
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Photo credit gothamist.com