<Begin Segment 25>

[Ed. note: This transcript has been edited by the narrator]

TI: So going back to the rural nursing, so you go into this situation, you're separated from the other three nurses, you're told that you have these returning vets so you may not be welcome as a Japanese American, so what was the rural nursing experience like in this community?

SA: Well, it was really something because (some) didn't know I was a Japanese American. They had heard, though, the owner of the apartment had heard there was a "Jap" coming. But that was all they knew. But then the other families, I don't know how much the whole village knew, but when I turned up at their homes for tea parties, this is such a small rural place, anything you do is news, you know, and so you're in the paper, their little paper that runs around, like so-and-so had tea. And it's so funny, but they invited me to all the functions that were going on, but they thought I was a French-Canadian Indian girl. 'Cause (...) in that area, wooded areas, (...) where we were doing rural nursing, we were covering (lots of) ground, (some Indian territory). And we would drive out, I can't drive, we're paired with someone who can, and usually it's a social worker, and that was Mrs. Payment, so she and I went. And so I told Bob and Sigrid, they were kind of worried about me, which I really appreciated. But I didn't know 'til much later because it was news to them, it was the first time they had ever rented their house, a room out, and for them, it was because they lacked money. I asked them why they took me in, and they said it was money, unfortunately. They needed it. [Laughs]

TI: But they, but they, so they were concerned, or did they know that you were a Japanese...

SA: Oh, they knew I was a Japanese American. But, see, nobody hardly came to their place because they're handicapped. And his mother came, and then the pastor came, Reverend Mooney came. But I don't remember anybody (but) one friend that was (also) deaf, (who) came. But it was great (and) I didn't have much to do with the townspeople unless they were sick and in the hospital. But after spending a (quarter, it lengthened out to be more), there, and I'm in the hospital part of the time. They knew who I was, I think. (But) they gave me a great send-off, I really appreciated that because they even came up from Duluth and (the) Hibbing (area), and the areas I covered. That was a big party.

TI: But at some point, did they realize that you were Japanese American, or did they always think you were (a) French-Indian Canadian?

SA: Well, I don't know when they fully realized it. (They) did, at the farewell (party), because they asked one of the returning soldiers, actually it was a fellow I was going around with. And he's Finnish, of course, so he was this blond, blue-eyed guy, and this is why one time, when we went out, I don't know if I told you, (there) was a tavern, 'cause there's nothing there to go to. The High Hat tavern. Anyway, so when I was sitting there with Dusty and her boyfriend, that's another Caucasian couple, and I said, "Hey, what happened to the boys? All of a sudden they're gone," and she says, "They're out in the back fighting." I said, "Fighting?" and she said, "Sure." I said, "What are they fighting about?" She says, "You. You're the cause of it." And I said, "Me?" and she said, "Didn't you listen?" They were playing some music of the '40s, and they had switched to "Night and Day." I didn't think it had anything to do with me, but that was it, I guess, that was to (say), I'm the "night," and he's the "day" because he's blond and blue-eyed and I'm dark. [Laughs] And I thought, "Wow, I guess that touched off something," and I don't know what, but anyway, they came back, and that was the only incident that I know of openly. I don't know what else they went through, but...

TI: So your Finnish boyfriend was in the back fighting the person who probably put this music --

SA: Yeah, and Dusty's boyfriend, the two of 'em against somebody who must have made some comment. But mainly because (of) that song, I guess, touched it off.

TI: Were there other experiences similar to that where you had to deal with...

SA: No, not really, because as I said, as I made (my way north), I went to the one room schoolhouses, and any problems they have (medically, they would) bring up. And it's like International Falls, this is on the border of Canada. It was a twelve-bed hospital and they were wondering why the patients were dying on the operating table, and could I check it out. So I went and I checked the sterilizer, (autoclave) and all that. Everything looked okay. And then I asked them, "What are you using for anesthesia?" And it (was) drop ether, 'cause you're in the woods, and the easiest thing to do is put the mask on and drop the (ether) 'til they're (asleep). Trouble is, the people in that neck of the woods (there are a lot of) immigrants, and they're Finnish and German and (from the) Baltic countries, Norwegians, Swedish. So they drink a lot, especially the Finns. And so to put 'em under, you gotta give 'em an awful lot. It's a tricky thing (when) you get to that. And evidently, I think they just dropped a lot more than they needed to and the person just went all the way out (and) never came back is what it (was). But I think that's it, because I could find nothing, and that's the only thing I could think of. Everything was sterile, as far as I could see. (The autoclave) wasn't leaking, and they were using the right (sterilizing) methods. There was only one doctor, and he was out there fishing (at a lake nearby), I could see him from the hospital. But it was impressive to me because I think the nursing care was spectacular. There was one nurse running the whole (twelve bed hospital). They had a preemie, as I said before, and here at (the) Mayo with all the latest equipment, we had trouble keeping a four month (premature baby) alive because this was sixty years (ago), more than that, ago (...). Here she had a two-pound preemie in a little apple crate, sitting out there in the hall. And the only thing I could think of, it's living because nobody's touching it. Whereas we had all these (conveniences, oxygen) tubes and everything, and the heat on. I think we touched (the preemie babies) too much. I don't know. (...) But in that day it was a miracle to me that she -- I don't know how long (the baby) lived, though, see, 'cause I (left) right after. But to see it laying there exposed like that was really a wonderment to me. I thought, "Boy, she's tremendous, she's got that (baby) still alive." I think it was at least a week (old).

TI: So Sharon, I actually just wanted to go back and just ask you about, so you, during this time you had a Finnish boyfriend.

SA: Yeah. Well, more a friend.

TI: Or a friend. How did his family...

SA: They were really nice. They were the ones who invited me, actually, to dinner on Christmas Eve. That's when I got in the accident. And so, actually, there was no overt prejudice of any type, and it was just, I felt accepted because like when I was at the hospital and there was an accident down the road, and of course this young guy was inebriated and actually his girlfriend was dead in the car. And he came up to the emergency, he needed help. But like I say, he was drunk, it's a good thing. He had his skull (fractured) and the skin was broken, and he had a (bad) cut. And so I think it was, (Dr. Boltz, who) was on, (the doctors) take turns. So I called him (...), I never saw anything like this. With his scalpel (the doctor) kind of cleaned up the wound, but he lifted the flap and he says, "Have you got any IV?" We have 5 in 1, that's saline and water, and he just cleaned the wound out with that. We just opened a bottle. And then we put in some sulfa packets, and then he sewed it up, and he says, "Now, let's push him out the door," and I said, "What?" Meanwhile he is swearing at us and saying he was gonna have us outside of Anderson's funeral parlor by morning. And we knew a lot of 'em carried knives in their hip boots. And then I said, "Wow, we're gonna let 'em go?" and he said, "Yes." Meanwhile, one of the hospital (personnel) -- I don't know (who) -- must have been an aide, went out the car, and that's when came back and said, "She's gone, she's dead." So it didn't seem to bother him any, but like I say, he was inebriated. So it's kind of interesting, that's the kind of care we had out there, (for the populace. Really worked!)

[Interruption]

<End Segment 25> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.