<Begin Segment 4>

TI: So before we talk more about your parents' work, I want to try to get a little sense about what they were like. If you were to describe your father, how did people describe your father? What was he like?

MO: I think he was not a very healthy person, 'cause he went to Japan and he got sick and passed away. But I guess they were more like professional teachers, both of them were teachers. My mother used to teach ikebana, ohana, sewing and craft work. And those are the things at Dr. Shinoda's school, she used to teach those things.

TI: But what about their personality? If you were to describe your father's personality, what would that be like?

MO: I cannot say because I was too young.

TI: How about stories from other people? How would they, if anyone came up to you or they came up to you later and said they knew your father, do you know how they would describe him?

MO: No, I can't answer.

TI: Okay. How about your mother? How would you describe your mother?

MO: My mother was very caring, always trying to cover up for whatever... I think my father must have been a very strict...

TI: So why do you say that? Why do you think your father was strict?

MO: Typical principal.

TI: And you were saying that sometimes your mother had to, maybe, help him because he was so strict?

MO: I think so, uh-huh.

TI: And do you have any kind of story or example of your mother helping?

MO: Well, he got sick and he went to Japan, and he never came back.

TI: No, I was thinking more, though, like when your father was maybe so strict that maybe your mother had to do something to maybe intervene or help out in that way?

MO: Gee, I'm too young to remember those.

TI: Okay.

<End Segment 4> - Copyright ©2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.