<Begin Segment 17>

TI: I was going to ask you about, in school, were there very many others at, like, McKinley High School that were recently from Japan? 'Cause you had just come back from Japan and went to McKinley High School, were there others like you from Japan during this time?

IH: The difference?

TI: Well, like when you... so this is after the war, in 1949, you went to McKinley High School as a junior. In your class, were there other Japanese who had recently, after the war...

IH: Oh, yeah, yeah.

TI: So it was pretty common for Japanese to be...

IH: Yeah. McKinley was, they're used to, outsiders called McKinley "Yokohama College." So many Japanese, they're called Kibei-Nisei, returned from Japan, so many. So it wasn't so bad.

TI: And how did the, like, non-Japanese students treat you and the others?

IH: Not too many at that time. Only a few Chinese. But only the Japanese, the ones that had American citizenship, that's the one that all came back.

TI: Well then how about the Niseis? The Niseis who maybe weren't, had never been to Japan, how did they treat you and other Kibei?

IH: No, don't make any difference. I couldn't even notice, they treat us pretty good.

TI: Okay. So now we're at U of H, so you passed the test, and so what happens next?

IH: I tried to get in, but I thought I'd get some credit in Japan college. So I went and I talked to UH, "Can you give me some credit for this? Then in a short time I can graduate." Said, "No." None of the credit good for an American university. So I started to work in the radio station in the morning, part-time. Then by the time my social worker came, and then, "Oh, you can start working, so why don't you work someplace, light job you can get?" And he's gonna look for me, the job. And then I tell him, "Okay." Then they find for me one small shop, repaired electric motors, repair the washing machine, laundry washing machine, dryer, something like that. So I learned over there. And then by the time the social worker came, "How is it going?" Okay. "Oh, you're doing, using (not) much money, so buy for you the tools. You're going to do it," and give me the tools. And from there, from the other company, they offer me that job, then working over there for a while. Then that company, something happened to my friend working inside that company. Said, "Izumi, don't stay over here. Why don't you go to the other company?" He said he knows one place, "Why don't you apply?" So I went and then right there, "Okay, why don't you come?" So the first time I'm looking for the job. Then working up there, and then that company started growing, and two Caucasian boss, every time it sell, each other. One time they have, one guy's the president, owner of the company, and then a couple years later, other one buys back, and just back and forth, was doing that. And then finally both of them are old, so they gave up the business and they sold it. And then the new boss came in, Oriental boss. Then one day, they guy working under me said, "Hey, Izumi, boss say gonna take care of this one. So I'm gonna take care of this." Okay. And then four or five days later, (another guy came to me and said to me), oh, this is the field, boss said take care of this. So I went to the boss, "Hey, you're giving all my jobs to the other guys. Where I stand?" And he didn't tell me what was going to it. I figure out, this one I don't have a chance. So I know one guy, I asked, then he was working at Ala Moana shopping center maintenance. Right after that, went to him, came to the Ala Moana shopping center, "Hey, do you have a job opening?" "Oh, wait, wait." Call the boss, boss came down and talked to me. "You can come from next day, tomorrow." I told him, "Wait a minute. Even how the boss is bad, I cannot quit like that. Give me two weeks. Just give me a gentleman's agreement, and after two weeks I'll come down." Then I started working Ala Moana shopping center maintenance. Then in the meantime, one mainland company on Texas was looking for me, because nobody takes care of (their equipment), they had equipment in Hawaii, on the other island.

TI: So say it again, so there's someone in Texas who wanted you because... I don't quite understand. What was it that made you so unique or special?

IH: That's on washing machine, laundry washing machine, and then dryer company. And then they was looking for the repairman.

TI: And so you knew how to repair these special washer and dryers, and so he was looking for you because you knew how to do it, okay.

IH: Eight months later, they found me. "Hey, why don't you work for that company? Waco, Texas, has a factory, and then service department has Memphis, Tennessee." And then they gave me the good deal, so I went. Because the pay is good, and then only myself in Hawaii. I can expand the business, that I figure. And then that goes on quite a long time.

TI: So did you have to move anywhere or did you stay in Hawaii?

IH: Hawaii.

TI: You stayed in Hawaii. So you were just like the service representative.

IH: Yeah, for Sheraton. And then going to the other island, taking some of the machines was inside. And then when I come to the Sheraton Waikiki build up, they put their machine in, our machine inside there, then from Memphis, they came, my boss came, and then the two of us set 'em up. And it was going good, and now, another big company buy us out. That company, maybe you know, but chemical company, Ecolab. Used to call that Economics Laboratory. That's not only the nationwide, worldwide company. They buy us out, so I go into the local Ecolab.

TI: Interesting. So, okay, so because you had this sort of unique knowledge about these washer dryers, and it sounds like they must be really big ones, because the Sheraton bought it, so it was a big industrial type of...

IH: So that's, again, lucky. Just went and just... then I worked 'til seventy-four years old. When sixty-four years old, they wanted me to go into the part-time, so I tell them, "No, I'm not going part-time. Just go into the full-time or retirement." Then when it comes to sixty-five, "Why don't you from now go into the part-time?" But one year difference, the company give me the cash. Then after that, go into the... and then part-time, I worked 'til seventy-four years old.

TI: So just not that long ago. Maybe, you're eighty-two, so eight years ago you retired. Okay. So I want to now go back -- oh, go ahead.

IH: Another thing. You were saying that something you sent to Japan.

TI: Yes.

IH: Okay. Just when I came from Japan, my uncle introduced me to the chicken farm. Again, that kind of chicken farm, I'm used to it. And then they liked me, so half day I go to the, half day I go to the high school, and then soon as finish, go to the Waialae. Used to be, they have so much chicken farms there. Working over there, take care of the chicken, mix the chicken food, then collect the eggs and then eat dinner and then come home. And over there, used to be the chicken feed is in a cotton bag, okay. It's nice, and have a design. Not like now, kind of brown sack. It's nice. And then owner said, "Hey, why don't you send this chicken feed bag to your mother? Just take 'em home and then wash 'em out, and then you can do something." And it's nice for the, they can make nice clothes for the kids. Nice design, too. So take 'em home, and then it's a big, and then wide like this, wash 'em clean. And then when you wash it, it becomes white, really good. Cannot tell, so sent them to my mother with something. My mother used to sell. This is American clothes. And then she was making good money with that. So I was doing it until going to the TB hospital.

TI: Oh, that's good.

<End Segment 17> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.