<Begin Segment 26>

TI: Thinking back to your life and the things that have happened, what have you learned from, from this? When you think about sort of being put into these very difficult situations, you've done nothing wrong and you're put into these, you and your husband are put into difficult situations, anything that, any learning that you can share?

BI: Well, I think, I think politics really turned me off. For a long time, every time I saw a Caucasian, I'd get a feeling of some resentments. Not that they had anything to do with it, but kind of a flashback. I thought, "All these white trash people think they're so great." [Laughs]

TI: How about your feelings towards the, the Japanese community over these years, that you wanted to move kind of away from it.

BI: I never felt very close to them. See, I grew up on a farm, but we were surrounded by Caucasians. My best friends were Caucasians. As a matter of fact, one of my best friends that lived near the farm has sent me Christmas cards every year. Now, that's sixty years. Well, not during camp, but when I moved to California, she's been sending me Christmas cards. And you know, we were very close. We spent most of the time together at her house and ate cookies and whatnots at her place. So I... I feel almost closer to some of those people than I do to the Japanese community that didn't help me out at all. Didn't give me any moral support.

TI: No, I can see, I can understand that. Trying to think. We've covered a lot of territory. Is there anything else that you want to talk about in this? I mean, I've asked all the questions I have on my list, and I'm just trying to think if there's anything else that I'm leaving out that we should talk about.

BI: Well, I can't think of anything right now.

TI: Let me make sure. So did you just have two children?

BI: No, and then I had two boys.

TI: Okay, two boys. So let's talk about that just a little bit. So when were they born?

BI: They, the first boy was born the year we moved into Alhambra.

TI: Okay, so that's, what year, early '50s?

BI: Yeah, uh-huh. (August 1950.)

TI: And his name is?

BI: Clyde Ron.

TI: Okay. And then another one after Clyde?

BI: Was Brad.

TI: Brad. And do you know when he was born?

BI: About five years later. (December 1954.)

TI: So kind of like '56 or so? 1955, '56? Okay. And grandchildren, do you have grandchildren?

BI: Oh yes. I have four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

TI: Wow, six great-grandchildren.

BI: Yeah.

TI: That's, that's pretty impressive. Where are your great-grandchildren?

BI: Well, let's see. Randall, Ayleen's son, is in Los Angeles, and her daughter is in Davis, which is close to Sacramento. And then my second daughter passed away when she was forty and left two children, and her son is in Los Angeles and her daughter is in Redwood City.

TI: Now, how much do your children and grandchildren know about this incident in Seattle right after, after the war started, in terms of the trial of your husband? Do they know much about this? I know Ayleen knows a little bit.

BI: Well, I think, I think Ayleen's son, her son is a lawyer, so I think he knows. And I'm sure the daughter must know a little bit. But the other one, I doubt if they know very much.

TI: Well, thank you so much for taking the time to do this. It was a pleasure getting to know you.

BI: Well, it was nice meeting you. I don't know if this is, amount to much, but it was kind of nice to go back and think about all the things that have happened.

TI: Well, and I, and I really appreciate it because I realize this was a painful time that we talked about, and I so appreciate you sharing that. So on behalf of Densho, thank you so much.

BI: Well, you're welcome. [Laughs]

<End Segment 26> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.