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MA: So your parents then were living in South Park around the time when you were born.

KB: Yes, uh-huh.

MA: And what were they doing in South Park, what was their profession?

KB: They were farming.

MA: Was it produce mostly?

KB: Right. What did they... it's carrots and onions and potatoes and beans and things like that, peas.

MA: And who did they work with? Who did they sell the produce to?

KB: The produce went to the produce market on Western Avenue. There were a lot of Italians who owned the wholesale produce places, and the Japanese farmers dealt with them, mostly. And I don't know, there's this Joe Desimone Bridge at the Public Market, well, Joe Desimone was one of those prominent produce marketers, and I remember he used to even come to our farm to look over what we had. And he'd bring his truck and carry off a load of carrots or onions or cabbage or whatever we had. So the Italians were involved in the produce markets, and also in farming at that time.

MA: So was South Park then predominately Japanese and Italian farmers?

KB: Well, there were others, too, but lot of the agricultural part was Italians and Japanese.

MA: And in general, how were the relationships among the Italians and Japanese, and the various other groups in South Park?

KB: I'm not sure how much interrelation there was socially. I don't think there was very much, but it was pretty peaceful, I would say. I don't remember any conflicts going on.

MA: So no, like, competition?

KB: I don't believe so, no. In a way, it was interesting because the Japanese didn't speak very good English, and a lot of the Italians didn't speak very good English. They were all immigrants, and it was kind of, when I think back about that, it was kind of funny to listen to them try to talk to each other. [Laughs]

MA: And you wonder how the business was conducted when they would come to visit the farms.

KB: That's right, yeah.

MA: So then did you speak mostly Japanese, then, at home with your parents?

KB: I did until I started school. My mother said that the only English I knew was "yes" and "no." So I guess I managed. [Laughs]

<End Segment 4> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.