<Begin Segment 7>
MN: Now, at what age did you start taking piano lessons?
AS: I can't recall, maybe eight, something like that, six or seven.
MN: Did the teacher come over to your house?
AS: She came to the house.
MN: You sort of said you didn't like piano lessons. Why not?
AS: Right. The teacher was very, very sweet. Watanabe was her name. But I had a real cute dog called Smoky. My mother, while I was taking music lessons, took it out to Hollenbeck Park and let it go. So ever since then I just didn't care to go to music. (...)
MN: What kind of dog was it?
AS: It was real cute. Tiny, tiny (charcoal, looked like a shitsu).
MN: So you were taking piano lessons. Did you have piano recitals?
AS: I recall when (...), probably because it was a big event, I had new clothes. New dress, new shoes, the works. We had a recital at one of the churches. (Tenrikyo?)
MN: So you got a brand new clothes, brand new shoes...
AS: Just for that performance.
MN: Did your older sisters take piano lessons?
AS: (No). I was a spoiled brat who came along late, you know.
MN: Now, when you were growing up, who were your playmates?
AS: I had neighbors.
MN: Japanese Americans?
AS: Both. Fourth Street house there were a lot of Japanese, and Breed Street was Caucasian. I still remember their faces but I can't remember their names.
MN: What sort of games did you play?
AS: Kick the Can. Or dolls, jumprope, hopscotch, the usual. (...) We did with what we had, (chalk on sidewalk).
MN: Now you said dolls, but I know there weren't any Barbie dolls in your era. What kind of dolls were these?
AS: (...) We had ("Betsy Wetsy" doll).
MN: Now you shared the story of how you were able to afford a candy treat every day. Your mother would...
AS: Gee, isn't that strange? She would put a nickel at the end of a handkerchief and tie a knot. That's what I remember, and that was my treat every day. And I was very spoiled. And after school I'd just go to the (...) little grocery store at the end of the block. I remember that very well.
MN: You also made this little playhouse underneath your staircase. What did it look like?
AS: Just a regular... a staircase (...) and my father let me put my (...) toys there. Being the youngest one and not (having) many playmates, I guess talked to myself and made my own friends.
<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.