<Begin Segment 18>

TI: Okay, so let's talk about going to Tule Lake. So what were your first impressions when you got to Tule Lake?

ES: The first thing they told us, told me was, "Are you ready to go to work?" That's about the first thing they said to me, and had just barely got there. My uniform, nothing, and I said, "Yeah, we just got here from assembly center. I'm not ready to go to work."

TI: But you also had a newborn baby.

ES: My, I had a baby. Yes, I did. I said, Gordy was just born in July, I said it's, I'm not settled and I don't, can't leave him at home by himself. So they said, "Well, we'll have you get ready, but we need a nurse to take care of our OB department." That's one of the big reasons that we moved from, they were putting us in, what do they call this, the grouping, the... anyway, we were in 72. They were putting to --

TI: The Block 72.

ES: Block, block.

TI: Block 72.

ES: Block 72, and I said, "Where are my folks?" because, and I was surprised to see my folks there when we first came in, by the truck. And I hadn't even talked to them.

TI: 'Cause you weren't sure where they were going?

ES: No. I didn't even know where they were. And so I was really happily surprised. But they said they're in Block 14, so I said, "Well, they're supposed to be my babysitters if I go to work at all." And they were willing to do it so that, then they changed us out completely again to unload my things in 72 instead of, I wanted it in 14 and there was an opening there. And I found out that there were quite a few Salem people in that area, which was good. And so it was quite a turmoil.

TI: So that's right, 'cause your parents went directly to Tule Lake.

ES: Right.

TI: And you didn't really know where they went.

ES: No.

TI: So you said that you just came across them by happenstance.

ES: I know.

TI: You came and your dad was there.

ES: He was in a truck, already working on the farm in Tule Lake.

TI: So he must have been pleasantly surprised to see you also.

ES: Oh yes. He couldn't believe it either. Yeah.

TI: So describe, how would your dad react in that situation? So he hasn't seen you for a while and he's surprised and sees you 'cause he, what does he do? Does he, does he say anything?

ES: He just said, he waved because the truck was moving and I didn't even know where he was, but then I found out right away that they were in Block 14 and told them that -- we did get our things in 72, Block 72 for a day or two, but we didn't unpack or anything. They moved us right over to, we were in Block, I think it was 13 or 12, one or the other.

TI: So not in 14, but pretty close.

ES: Yeah.

TI: Close enough that they could help with the babysitting and all that.

ES: Yes, right.

TI: Okay, so that again worked out for you.

ES: That's right. It was... so anyway, it was quite a ways to walk over there to the hospital too. I had to do that every day, even at night 'cause I always worked 3:00 to 11:00.

<End Segment 18> - Copyright &copy; 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.