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MN: Did you learn to do the jitterbug?

RW: Yeah.

MN: All the different dances?

RW: Most of them.

MN: All the other different dances?

RW: Yeah. Yeah, but most of it was the jitterbug, the swing. It was one or the other, swing, jitterbugging or slow music. Like the slow music, then you can hold on tight, you know? [Laughs] But the funny thing was when we had a block dance there was everybody in the block. They were older, so you danced with them and it was nice. But when they had a school dance then the boys were on one side of the whole auditorium, the girls were on the other side, and they didn't dance. One or two would go who would have the nerve to go. They used to have the program dance where they get the boys and girls to sign, and I don't know why, but I have mine displayed on a board at the office I used for when I talk at times, and all my programs are empty. So what does that tell you? [Laughs] But then towards the end of the dance, next to the last dance, then everybody starts dancing or during the designated program dance.

MN: For us who grew up later, I want, can you explain to us these little, the programs, the bids that you're talking about? Why are, why are they empty, and what does a girl do once they dance with you?

RW: Well, what it is, it's like a promissory note that they'll dance with you at the certain numbered program dance like number three, or maybe number one, if you like the girl and you had the nerve you would get as many filled out from her, and some guys would probably get the same girl for all, but you go and get different girls and they sign up on this program, one, two, three, four, five, and then during the dance they'll say, "Okay, this is program number one." Then it was a way of getting people to dance, and it worked. It's just a matter of if you were shy enough to not want to go ask them, then you get an empty program. That's what happened to me. I liked this one girl in camp, but I thought she was going with this guy. I went to her barrack and started to go and knock on the door and I just chickened out and left. That was the way I was in those days. I was very insecure, introverted kind of a person those days in camp. I couldn't speak. In grammar school I had to read something in front of the class and I broke down; I couldn't read out loud and I just hated it. I almost flunked English in high school 'cause every time it was time for an oral report I ditched school. So no one can believe me when I tell 'em that, but after I came back from Korea I went to L.A. City College and I don't remember if it was City College or at Valley College, but I took a course of psychology and I had to make a speech, so I wrote a speech on the nutritious value of a banana and I guess I gave a pretty good speech. The professor said, "Well, that was an excellent presentation. Hope your line of work is in appearing before the public." That's the first time I ever spoke in front of anybody without getting rattled. So I guess you have to say maybe serving in the Marines, going to war, just put some confidence in me, and so after that I haven't had any trouble speaking.

<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.