I met two kids (maybe 11 or 12) at the park this weekend. One was dressed in camouflage fatigues with an American flag patch on the arm; the other wore a tactical helmet with the flag of Ukraine emblazoned on the side, and carried a large flag of Ukraine over his shoulder. Both carried toy rifles.

I overheard one say to the other:

“If my mom finds out I brought the flag to the park, she’ll flip.”

I was there with my own kids, and wasn’t expecting a documentary scene—but I was struck by the earnestness of their play, and snapped a few photos of them.

I asked the one with the flag if I could take a photo, and he posed for me. Not including identifiable pictures here because their parents weren’t around to give permission.

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT 8MP w/ 50mm 1.8 “nifty fifty”

For Shitty Camera Challenge

A child in full camouflage military-style clothing with an American flag patch sits on a modern playground climbing structure made of brown poles and red bars, with a rope hanging nearby. A flag of Ukraine displaying the national trident emblem against a bright blue sky.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​