<Begin Segment 25>

TY: [Jpn.] Now, can you tell me about your house? Did you buy the 15 acres of land together with a house?

MK: [Jpn.] Well...

TY: [Jpn.] When you bought the 15 acres of land in Sunnydale --

MK: [Eng.] Yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] -- was there a house already or did you build it?

MK: [Jpn.] No, we bought it and had to pay a loan. So it was hard.

TY: [Jpn.] Then you bought the land with a house.

MK: [Jpn.] Yeah. So...

TY: [Jpn.] Yes.

MK: [Jpn.] Probably it was double.

TY: [Jpn.] I see.

MK: [Jpn.] Even if we paid it back in small amounts...

TY: [Jpn.] Yes.

MK: [Jpn.] Still it was difficult. Yes, it was.

TY: [Jpn.] I saw a photo of your house once. It was a rather large house, wasn't it?

MK: [Jpn.] Yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] Did you buy that house expecting a large family? Or did you not expect that?

MK: [Jpn.] No. We didn't think about a family at that time.

TY: [Jpn.] But did you end up living in that house till the end?

MK: [Jpn.] That's right.

TY: [Jpn.] Seven children.

MK: [Jpn.] Till we sold it.

TY: [Jpn.] I see.

MK: [Jpn.] We lived there till we sold it. Because my husband died suddenly. Then I couldn't do it by myself. I told my first boy, the oldest boy. He wanted to go to school, but we couldn't let him. We still had small children. I felt sorry for him, but I called him back. I told him that if he wanted, he could continue the business. None of my children wanted to continue the business. I had five boys, but no one wanted to work at the greenhouse. Maybe because they knew how hard it was. How hard we worked. But it would be easier. We did all the necessary things already. We paid the land off.

TY: [Jpn.] Yes.

MK: [Jpn.] Besides, once the greenhouse is built, it is easy. But they didn't want to do it. There was nothing I could do about it.

TY: [Jpn.] Yeah.

MK: [Jpn.] So I made up my mind and sold everything.

TY: [Jpn.] Well, then...

MK: [Jpn.] Then...

TY: [Jpn.] Yes...

MK: [Jpn.] They had to work even though they were little.

TY: [Jpn.] I see.

MK: [Jpn.] As soon as they came home from school, they were told to do this and do that. They had enough.

TY: [Jpn.] Then the whole family worked together.

MK: [Jpn.] Yeah. So even during a summer vacation, it was not a vacation. We were busy. I felt sorry for them. So they hated the greenhouse business. They didn't want to continue the business. Don't you agree? [Laughs]

TY: [Jpn.] Then your children helped with the family business during the summer...

MK: [Jpn.] Well, my husband...

TY: [Jpn.] Yes?

MK: [Jpn.] Because he died. If he had not died, we wouldn't have done it. We would have continued.

TY: [Jpn.] I see.

MK: [Jpn.] It was over.

TY: [Jpn.] I see.

MK: [Jpn.] Uh-huh. If any of the boys wanted to do it, even one boy wanted to do it, we could have done it. But if nobody wanted to, then it was better to give up. It was better for the children. My children are happy with it now. Because we quit the business, they chose what they liked. All the children are happy. Uh-huh. That's right. They are doing what they like. I am happy that they are doing what they like. I want to say, thank you.

<End Segment 25> - Copyright © 2000 Densho. All Rights Reserved.