<Begin Segment 28>

AI: Well, now you mentioned that all this was happening at the same time that you were getting ready for evacuation. And is there, are there some other details that you recall about that time?

KM: Well, you know, I had to do, we had to shop for our evacuation preparations, such as the clothings and how much... and then, of course we have to get this duffel bag made, and go buy suitcases and -- only in my case, I had a dress shop so I had to really think of what to do with my tools and equipments, and notify who are the good friends that was a customer at one time. But they didn't care less. [Laughs] They just, I just wanted to be, let them know that this is gonna happen, so I did that. And then, 'course we were looking for food that -- like sugar, because it was rationed, you probably don't remember. Gasoline, and sugar, and coffee, all those things were all rationed, and we all had a ticket. And so we kinda saved that, but have a supply for ourselves so that when we go into camp, that we would have that, that we can use. And so every family had a kind of a package or a care package, if you wanna call that.

AI: Because you didn't know exactly what you would have in camp and so you wanted to bring that...

KM: That's it. We wanted to be prepared. And so many times we took canned fruits, things that we can eat just by opening it, without using the stove and so forth.

AI: So, for a while you were really worried that you might not have certain things to eat?

KM: Yeah. We didn't know what was gonna lie ahead of us. It was just so, almost kinda hopeless thing the way we felt. So we thought, "Well, in case we don't like the food or in case we don't get enough, well we'll take certain things." Like dried fruit and things like that that won't be, that would be still good even in camp without refrigeration and so forth.

AI: Well, I'm wondering if your parents said anything when, just before evacuation, just before leaving Fowler. Did your parents say anything about what they were worried about or what they thought might happen?

KM: No. I think they just went along with the tide I guess. I mean they said, "Well, we just have to do the best we can, because, what can we do?" As the Japanese say, "Shigata ga nai." There's nothing we can do in our power so we just might as well just go ahead, and then be led to wherever and whatever. And so we just kinda followed their leading.

<End Segment 28> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.