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Shooting the Moon Chapter 5 Summary

  • Back when TJ was in junior high, the family was stationed in Germany.
  • Jamie remembers being dragged to a lot of tourist sites, so she developed an interest in comic books. She could only take so many long lines and historic masterpieces. Her comic books keep her preoccupied.
  • TJ, on the other hand, picked up a camera. He had a good eye for it, too—he'd notice a weird looking brick or leaf while they were walking and make everyone stop so he could get the right angle and lighting.
  • The Colonel didn't get it. He never liked slowing down.
  • The way he saw it, you can live your life or photograph it—he'd rather be a man of action.
  • Jamie tells us that TJ's pictures changed once he enlisted in the army. They used to be of nature, but now they were of two things: people or the moon.
  • She never saw what the fuss about the moon was. It's round and white. How interesting can it be to snap pics of? Surely that's not Instagram worthy.
  • TJ disagrees, though. He appreciates that it has shadows and craters all over it and notes how the clouds and the sky give it a different appearance every single night. Okay, okay, TJ is in love with the moon.
  • One night at dinner, TJ claims he'll get some really great pics while he's in Vietnam.
  • The Colonel points out that he might not even get sent to Vietnam. Besides, he'll have plenty to worry about over there that doesn't involve a camera.
  • This worries the Colonel. He thinks TJ pictures war as some cool photo op instead of the tough time it really is.
  • Jamie knows her dad is wrong about that. War is way cool.