<Begin Segment 8>

TI: When you were playing, you mentioned earlier that there were a lot of, like, German families.

TA: Yeah.

TI: Did you play with German kids also?

TA: At school. At school, yes. Yes, we intermixed, we played, we had friends and we played baseball. We did everything together. And there was, we didn't feel any different, other than the German kids stayed with the German kids, the Japanese stayed with the Japanese community, after school. Because, of course, they followed their own, old country customs, also. So, but then if we'd meet on the street or somewhere else, yeah, we'll go out and play. And so it was a friendly atmosphere.

TI: Well, growing up, did you ever experience times when you felt like you were discriminated against, or prejudice?

TA: Not discriminated. Not discriminated as such, but at times felt awkward. Awkward in that by then you're, you're conscious that you're Japanese and you're different. And as a result, you sort of think they sort of slighted you in a way, or looked at you a little... but not, not to the extent I thought it was discriminatory. It's just a kid's feeling, I guess.

TI: Well, how did you feel about being Japanese, I mean, growing up?

TA: At that time? Thought nothing of it. I'm Japanese. I mean, like all my friends. We didn't feel any pressure being anything else, although my father sort of pressured me. But, no, we got along. Japanese, I felt American.

TI: Okay, good.

TA: I felt American, went to school, Pledge of Allegiance.

CO: Probably, probably did very, very good in school. The pressure was on to do well, yeah.

TA: Well, I, again the pressure. It's that pressure. In fact, among our, my peers, their family, their parents would tell 'em to do good. My family's telling me -- and the German families used to say, "You're German." So, yeah, there was a lot of competition, but good, good competition. And we got along well. I was never bullied, never really got into any fights. Well, maybe normal arguments and things like that, but no, no.

CO: Boy stuff. [Laughs]

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.