<Begin Segment 19>

DG: So tell us when the war started, then, what happened that day. Can you remember?

MH: You know, we have to sell all kind of things because they can't take anything. And then how long we have to be in the camp, we can't tell. So everybody sold everything, but American people at that time, I don't know where they came from, but quite rude, not really wanted to buy piano like that. Came with little children and about six or seven years old girl, "I like this piano." And then her father said, "Okay." And then, "Sell me," so I said, "No. I want to take to, with my husband's equipment. Piano is store at the Bekins." And then a hour later he came with a moving truck, mover brought, and took the piano and then left the 25 dollar.

BF: He just stole it then, really.

DG: And he just walked into your house.

MH: No, that's the way did everything. My next door Japanese school teacher's place is grandmother became stroke and lying down and then daughter became stroke, too. She's only twelve.

BF: Her daughter had a stroke at age twelve?

MH: And then was in bed. So they need washing. So she bought a big washing machine, new one, and then it's only three weeks old. They took five dollar and they took the washing machine. How much they say that we can't sell.

DG: Well, these people just walked into your house.

MH: Yes.

DG: And took what they...

MH: Anything they wanted. Neighbors, not the neighbors, neighbor people knew us so they don't do such things, but I don't know where they came from. Most take the things like that.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.