<Begin Segment 8>

TI: So given that you had all these men interested in you, why George? What was it about George that made you interested in him?

SA: Well, he made a very good impression. And when I first met him, it was before the war. I met him at Los Angeles, he came down from Guadalupe, and a friend of mine wanted me to drive her to Little Tokyo, because we were living in Gardena. And she asked me if I would drive her, so I said, "I'd be happy to." So I drove her to the place called Olympic Hotel, which was before the war in Little Tokyo. And she introduced me, and I thought nothing of it. I thought she was there for her business. But when I think back, I think she had other plans. [Laughs] She wanted me to meet George.

TI: And how did that first meeting go?

SA: Well, I thought nothing of it. I thought, "Oh, he was a nice guy," and very friendly. Then the war broke out right after that.

TI: When you talked to George later...

SA: No, I didn't.

TI: No, but later after you got married, did you talk about that first meeting? Did he remember that first meeting back at the Olympic Hotel, did George remember that first meeting?

SA: Oh, I don't know. I never asked him. [Laughs]

TI: So going back to Poston, so George made a good impression on you, and so you decided he was going to be the one.

SA: We started corresponding.

TI: And so I think you went back to Gila for maybe more dental work?

SA: Yes, I went two times.

TI: So tell me about the second time.

SA: Oh, the second time was a little more friendlier, and we got together more often. He was not very healthy person, so he was confined for a while. At that time, when I was ready to leave, he proposed to me and asked me if I would join him. And I said, "Well, I'll think about it, I'll talk it over with my parents." He said that was the right thing to do.

TI: So that's such a touching love story. Now, during this time, George was going through some difficult financial situations.

SA: Very, very.

TI: Because his family business, which was entrusted to him, and he was responsible, was having a really difficult time. Could you tell that was going on?

SA: It was very hard on him. He took all the responsibility, it was a very trying time. He had all his people that took care of his finance and things like that come to Gila and discuss it. But what they said and what they did wasn't two different things. So he was wiped out.

TI: And did George share all this information with you?

SA: Yes, he did.

TI: He did?

SA: Yes, before he proposed to me. He wanted me to find out what his situation was. He was very open and honest about everything.

TI: That says a lot about him because some men wouldn't do that. They would probably not want to share that really bad news like that.

SA: But he told me all his problems.

TI: So after George proposed, and you said you would talk to your parents, so what did your parents say?

SA: My parents, well, they were happy to hear that this had happened. There was an elderly couple named Kijima, and they were kind of pushing George, I think, in Gila. But when I told my parents about the proposal, this elderly couple came from Gila to act sort of like a baishakunin, you know what that is?

TI: Yes, I do.

SA: And they wanted to be the baishakunin, so they came from Gila to Poston to ask my parents.

TI: And your parents agreed.

SA: Yes.

TI: And so this elderly couple was representing George.

SA: Yes, right.

TI: So very traditional.

SA: Yeah, rather. [Laughs]

<End Segment 8> - Copyright (c) 2017 Densho. All Rights Reserved.