<Begin Segment 30>

TI: So was there any kind of group that had the reputation of being perhaps more dangerous than others, that you had to kind of stay away from? When you think of all the, 'cause it seemed like every kind of area was from a different area, did, was there any of that?

FS: No, we never, when we got in, we're first, we never had no, only trouble we had was they used to call, the Oregon, Washington people, used to go, "You're a white Jap." [Laughs]

TI: Now, so explain that.

FS: You'd say, "You're a black Jap." That's what they... so all the California people were darker. We'd call 'em, "You're a white." They used to call 'em back, say, "You're a, you're a white Jap."

TI: So it was the people from, from Washington, Oregon, they're lighter, less tan because...

FS: Yeah, I think that's what, that's what it was about, beginning. They were kind of, they never had a fight, but I mean, they were callin' each other name like that.

TI: But was there more tension because perhaps, yeah, the people from Washington, Oregon versus the people from California. Was there kind of a difference, cultural difference almost, in the two groups?

FS: It seemed like there was, beginning.

TI: And how would you explain the difference? What would the difference be, if you were to talk about, say, the Washington, Oregon people, how would you describe them?

FS: Gee, I don't know how to, I don't know how to explain that.

TI: How were they different? Were they more country-like? Or...

FS: Because they were more, more light-skinned, anyway, so that's what kind of started the callin' each other kind of name.

TI: Do they talk differently? Could you tell by how they talked, sort of a Washington, Oregon?

FS: Seemed like they did, to me, but I'm not sure. I didn't, I was not associated until later with all the Washington people, because one of the Washington, lady that was work in the magazine stand, she was from Washington, so I got to know their family pretty good, too.

TI: Well, you ended up marrying a Washington woman.

FS: Yeah, well, she was, she was from L.A.

TI: Oh, before?

FS: From, yeah, she was born in, she was born in Seattle, but she was evacuated from L.A.

TI: I see, okay.

MN: You're a Nishi Hongwanji member, is that correct?

FS: Huh?

MN: You're a Nishi Hongwanji --

FS: Yeah, Nishi Hongwanji member. Yeah.

MN: Tex Nakamura is also big in Nishi Hongwanji and he worked very closely with Mr. Wayne Collins. Did, have you and Tex ever talked about the renunciation situation at all?

FS: No. Lot of, I don't think, a lot of people didn't know I was a renouncee. Even, even I didn't know right now that one of the, one of the guys. I thought he was whatchamacall and I found out he went back to Japan, Japan and came back here. I didn't know that until recently, about, maybe about two, three months ago. We were talkin' about it and he said, "Oh, I went back to Japan." I thought, "What? You went back to Japan?" And then he, that's how he learned judo, in Japan. And he's one of our church members. That I didn't know until recently.

<End Segment 30> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.