<Begin Segment 88>

TI: Well, so how did you and Kimiko sort of start dating? I mean, what was it, what was the next step, so you noticed her and she noticed you but how did you --

RM: Well, I'm so busy, so, well, if I talk just a little bit, or she go down basement, then bring shirts that sleeves cut off or mended or something, but once in a while they invited me, and they're busy, too, so didn't, because I was so busy at the time and I gotta be on duty, take a turn, but this is a, now I can tell, but this hotel is a junior -- used to be the insurance company building, but converted into Junior Officers' quarters. And that's what I was assigned, and give me the ID card, identification and then we were billeted in third floor facing the Mitsubishi #13 building. So happened that this is a Russian, Soviet Information office so lotta passerby went down there and look at the things so we watch who goes there and who might be connected with their activities. So, if you find out that frequent visitor, the visitor usually don't repeat their visit. So frequent visit might means that have some kind of connection, so find out where he lives. And that's why I'm come in because I'm dressed Japanese. And what I did was the first unit, they issued me new civilian clothes but too obvious because they know right away he's American even though Japanese face. So what I did is my brother came from China --

TI: And the reason they would know that you were American was because the clothes were too new. And that's the reason.

RM: Too new, that's why they, because the Japanese couldn't afford to wear new trousers and shirts and jacket or whatever, see, so what I did was, the brother I met in China was assigned to Tokyo and so he was there, I met him and give me, I asked him to exchange my clothes with his. He was glad to do that because he could wear new clothes. So I got his old army clothes, jacket and wear that and baggy pants, and come out the street. They thought I one of... so they never see the GI or these Japanese, I mean, as American civilian so nobody noticed.

TI: So it was fortunate that you had a brother that you could exchange clothes because it helped you go undercover. But I want to go back to your, your future wife. How did you know that she was the one you wanted to marry?

RM: Well, I didn't know at the time. But then, well, she was pretty girl, and everybody, see, this not only me visiting but lotta Nisei and civilian get Department of Army Civilian, see, DAC, and they're workin' ATIS translation or wherever any other duties, military government or whatever, but their rank authorized them to stay in this hotel, junior officers' quarters. And some people stay from ATIS Building, Yusen building, Nippon Yusen shipping company's building that army took over and made translation section. So the people know that the Japanese tailor shop there to alteration, so if needed, word of mouth say to mouth information, they knew the place so a lotta people, Nisei come down there and talk to other people and get familiar. And later on -- but I thought I, I speak better Japanese than the others, 'cause others just school-trained and try to use. So other people probably didn't even convince that, he's good at speaker. But me, she happened to like me on account of connection to Los Angeles, I didn't... was impressed with that. I told 1932, see, but they didn't think of, they know they want to see the Olympics so they came down there. But me, and the way my, well, thought was, why people come down to Los Angeles? I thought -- see, I was in Los Angeles goin' to school, high school.

TI: But going back to your wife-to-be, so at some point the two of you decided that it would be a good idea for you to get married. How did that work? Was that hard to do?

RM: No, that's, I never been married before, or I never had a steady girl before, I knew lotta girls because I been a delivery boy and going out and I could have married a farmer's girl, too, but they're financially very poor and then financially I wouldn't be able to support because very, pay was very low and Depression time and I didn't have house and don't anything. I was just living on wages so didn't give me chance. But right here, so happened that farm was in, they operated a clinic before, in a hospital. So therefore, that's, the brother's a doctor, the, most of 'em, the brother were medical officers. But even though one was sent to Philippines and they ordered them to charge and charge up and got killed. So this family was doctor but meantime, the sickbay was converted into apartment because they're scarce because Tokyo was bombed and house burned down. So meantime, this hospital itself inactive, but the meantime, the rooms, they rented it out for the people to stay.

TI: So this was Kimiko's family.

RM: Kimiko's family. So her --

TI: So they --

RM: -- family was a doctor's family. So she could have married some doctors or something like that but so happened at the time, ailment and all the eligible bachelor went to war and killed or crippled or come back and so she was there, and lotta women, less boys, so...

TI: So let me make sure I understand. So it sounds like Kimiko's family was, had money, pretty --

RM: Yeah, well --

TI: -- they were pretty well-off.

RM: Well, not rich but, I mean, they're well enough to...

TI: Not rich, and before the war, because of that they, the, her brothers were able to become doctors and they were associated with the medical... and they owned the building.

RM: Uh-huh.

TI: And so they were pretty well-off and you said she was pretty also.

RM: Yes, she was.

TI: So she was a nice -- excuse me -- nice catch. [Laughs]

RM: [Laughs] Yeah, you may say so, but... well, I don't wanna brag about I got a beautiful wife, but some people just compliment your wife so you pull these things like that. But I don't have to say that, and my daughter knows she was nice lady and this not my story, but she raised two nice, well, intelligent girls.

<End Segment 88> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.