<Begin Segment 20>

BF: Do you remember how your children felt during this time?

MH: Children doesn't make any difference. They are happy, people coming. So one day we closed the door and they eat lunch because so many people just walk in. One day, bell rings so badly, not, many times. So, okay, Kumi jump up -- and then she was about four or five -- jump up and went to open the door. Then we are eating lunch and they all came, family came in, and then see that our table and then lunch so I made hamburger. Japanese hamburger is korokke [Inaudible]. We made it and then men take, ate it right away and, "Oh, this is taste good."

BF: So they just started eating your lunch?

MH: Yes. And then you eat, come on family, eat it.

DG: Oh, my goodness.

BF: You must have been so shocked because it doesn't sound like...

MH: We are shocked.

BF: What can you say?

MH: We couldn't say, no one eat, even the children. Like this because we didn't eat, pick up by hands, chopsticks. Everything dishes are chopstick on it. So pick the hands, by hands. So they can't get it anymore. So children just, watching ate all the things.

DG: Oh, my goodness. And you were home by yourself with your children, then, all these days.

MH: Husband, too. He comes back for lunch because nighttime he comes home late and the children all sleep, so he came home lunchtime.

DG: How did he react? Must have been hard for him.

MH: Couldn't say anything. We couldn't say anything, Japanese things, or anything.

BF: But he must have been frustrated.

MH: More surprise, first. Shock. Those things happen.

DG: Were you trying not to upset the children? Is that why, partially why you didn't say anything? No, you didn't.

MH: See, children once in a while look at me. That's all.

DG: And so this was the months, then, following Pearl Harbor.

MH: Yes.

<End Segment 20> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.