<Begin Segment 37>

SY: So I know there are things that we didn't talk about, and I want you to think about that, too. Is there something that we didn't talk about that you'd like to say about your life in general, about looking back at your life, is there something that you miss?

NS: Such as what life? Because I'm ninety years old, and that's a long time, you know. [Laughs]

SY: Did you feel like the going to camp and being in camp and that whole experience made you a better person? Did it help you or did it hurt you?

NS: Well, at first, I thought, gee, that was real sad to be in camp. When you're life is so young, you want to do things that you want to do. Like, for instance, I lost interest in going to school anymore. I'd just graduated high school, I wanted to go to school, but, and, you know, I wanted to go to business school, too. And then work, find a job, work and make money. So there was quite a disappointment when the war started.

SY: And you think it affected your parents in a... how do you think it affected your parents?

NS: Well, they were getting old, so, you know... as long as my kids are all grown, I mean, their children are all grown up, so I don't think it affected that much. But I don't think they were that happy either, being lonely, getting lonely. Most of us away from home. Mother always said, she said she wanted to die because it's time for her to go and this and that. Always used to say, "No, Mama, it's not time yet," I used to tell her.

SY: This is after camp or during camp?

NS: Yeah, yeah. Well, yeah, she lived quite a bit after camp.

SY: So by the time all her kids had gone, she felt like --

NS: Well, she got to see all my grandkids, I mean, her grandkids, so it wasn't that bad. She looked forward to that. Matter of fact, I used to make her take care of my kids. [Laughs] I'm always out.

SY: So you don't think... did it affect your father in terms of losing the farm?

NS: Oh, yes. Definitely, when they went to camp, definitely my father was quite upset, but what can you do? As Japanese would say, shikata ga nai. Everybody said that, not just my father, everybody. All my Issei friends all said, shikata ga nai."

SY: And that was something that they actually said during the war?

NS: Yes, oh, definitely. Because of the war.

SY: They used that expression.

NS: Oh, yeah, shikata ga nai, that's the word.

SY: And then your brothers all, I remember you said that all your brothers except for one went into the military. Is that right?

NS: No. Two of my brothers went in... no, three of 'em went in from the camp, Jimmy, Bob and Charlie. So three of my brothers.

SY: And the oldest one did not.

NS: No, no. Harold was never in the army. He was working for the government.

SY: But there was one who enlisted before? Oh, no, that was your husband, who enlisted before the war.

NS: Yeah, yeah. He was in the army already before the war, my husband.

SY: So only the... so there were only three of your brothers who actually served in the army.

NS: During the war, during the war.

SY: During the war. And they all came back?

NS: Yeah. They didn't go to the front. They didn't allow them to go in the front, being a Japanese, I think. That's what happened.

SY: So before the war, I know you mentioned that you always stayed together as a family?

NS: Uh-huh. Oh, yes, definitely.

SY: So do you think that camp had... because you...

NS: Yes. My mother was quite worried about that, because we were not together, that we're not bringing our family life together, so she was very upset about that. Because we went to eat anytime they want. My brothers would go out to have their lunch or breakfast or dinner different time, they didn't eat together. That's what upset my mother.

SY: And your parents never made an effort to try to keep you all together?

NS: Because they were working in camp, doing something. And they have different hours, so they had to eat out separately. And I was working, too. I was working taking care of this little boy, so I have to hurry up and eat and then go. So I didn't even get to eat with my mother. But my mother was a waitress in camp with Mrs. Sato, her friend Sato. Mrs. Sato, she would come after my mother and my mother would go right away to the mess hall to start helping serve.

SY: So she would be gone, too.

NS: So there's no such thing as family life anymore after that.

SY: And did that...

NS: That affected my mother.

SY: More so than your father.

NS: Yeah.

SY: And so when you look back on it now...

NS: Well, like I said, we lost the family life.

SY: So there's this... so there was...

NS: We lost so many, several years that happened, so we kind of... I mean, we were always together. Family life was always together, but what I mean is after that we were together.

SY: And do you think you would have chosen a different career if you hadn't gone to camp?

NS: Yes, 'cause I wanted to go to college and I never got to. 'Cause I didn't have the money after that, so we all did work, so remember how we were in camp and we got, what, sixteen dollar a month.

SY: So your life might have been different?

NS: Oh, yes, definitely.

<End Segment 37> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.