UAKR

As I drove into the complex, dazed from not remembering basic stuff for the midterm, I saw a kid cross the street with a homemade flag propped on his shoulder. Looked like a sheet of copy paper and a long stick.

When I came in with the groceries, I realized I hadn’t checked the mail in two days and the trash needed to be ditched, so I did that. The kid was coming back from across the street. Our apartment complex straddles the street, so this isn’t too unusual; I figured he was playing with a friend from across the street, since I’d seen some of the local kids roller blading on the weekend. I saw that the sign said “U.A.K.” with a smaller afterthought of an R in the top right corner, and a single blue star in the top left corner.

As I got back to my apartment I made eye contact as he was heading along the center of the drive. He said hi. I asked what he was picketing.

Kid: I’m not picketing. I’m part of the United Apartment Kids Republic.

Me: Ah. How many people are in your republic?

Kid: Uuuuuhhhh… three. Currently.

Me: Isn’t a republic more like a country?

Kid: Yeah… I’m the current president.

Me: So, do you have some purpose or goal for the UAKR?

Kid: Yeah… we’re looking for something… useful to do.

Me: Hm. You mean like litter patrol or maybe feeding the ducks?

Kid: Yeah. We’re still thinking about it.

Me: Okay, cool. Good luck with that.

And he shrugged, and meandered off with his flag. I think he must have been 11 or 12, not hit puberty yet in any case. Cute kid, with freckles and pinchable cheeks. (Yeek, I sound like an old auntie.) I had no idea we had another government on our doorstep.