<Begin Segment 15>

TI: So George has to do all this business with Japanese, and so it sounds like your role was to play the hostess a lot of times. You had to entertain a lot of Japanese guests, sometimes they would stay here. How was that for you? Did you enjoy that?

SA: Oh, I did. I enjoyed it, yeah. I really felt like I was helping somebody, and they came and enjoyed my home. I enjoyed it very much. And my mother-in-law was with me, so it made a world of a difference. She was so gracious.

TI: I used to work in the high tech industry at Microsoft, and I know how intense business can get at times. And to have someone be as supportive as you for his business, I know it made a big difference. I'm sure he must have been very appreciative.

SA: Well, I just want to do whatever I can.

TI: Now, when you think of George, what made him so successful? What was it about him that... because when I read his life story, he had so many challenges. I mean, when he lost the family business during the war, his illnesses in his life, and through all that, he succeeded. What was it about George that made him special?

SA: He was a fighter. Once he decided to do something, he always fulfilled his wishes. He was a fighter. Very, you know, the word in Japanese, gaman? Yeah.

TI: Now, were there...

SA: And his personality, I think, kind of made a big difference. He was always so generous and helpful and caring.

TI: How would he deal with when things didn't go well? Like if something failed, how would he respond? How would he bounce back?

SA: He kept going right on, he never backed out. He was very good about that.

TI: Now, were there any times when he was really, were there times when he was discouraged and he would just sort of be tired?

SA: No, I don't remember him at all being that way.

TI: That's amazing.

SA: He was a fighter. And whatever he did, he did well. And I think his personality made a big difference in how he succeeded, yeah.

TI: Now, were there ever times when you or his mother told him, "George, maybe that's too big, maybe you should slow down?"

SA: No, we always let him have his way. [Laughs] He was a very good husband and good father.

TI: After the war, you helped set up the Montebello Women's Club. When I think of the Japanese American community today, it feels like lots of the organizations are getting smaller, it's harder to raise money, it's hard to get more Japanese Americans involved. What advice do you have? You started, you said, the Montebello Women's Club, there's nothing like that right now.

SA: No, there isn't.

TI: How could the younger generations create similar things? What advice do you have?

SA: Well, while we were growing up, we all kind of depended on each other for any activity. But I think the younger generation doesn't have that fight. I think they lack in something, yeah, they really do. Their attitude is not like ours. I don't know how to explain it, but I think we were more caring about supporting different organizations supporting whatever we can. I think things have changed.

TI: Why do you think that? Do you think it's because the younger generations were further removed from Japan? Or what are the difference is that maybe we're too comfortable, that we didn't have to struggle as much? I'm asking that same question, why don't we have that same community spirit?

SA: I really... I don't know what to say about that. Yeah, it's just, as we grow older, we all kind of depended on each other as friendship or whatever activity we did. We all helped each other. But maybe I'm getting too old and not being as active as before, so I don't know what's going on.

TI: Kind of the final question I want to ask is, during World War II, Japanese Americans were put in camps, and because of, people didn't trust Japanese, a lot of people are saying that today, similar things are happening in our world with maybe like Muslim immigrants and things like that. Have you been following the news, and what do you think about what's happening in America today?

SA: You know, I'm not much of a follower in what goes on. I just don't have the interest, so I have nothing to say.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright (c) 2017 Densho. All Rights Reserved.