<Begin Segment 15>

TI: So any other memories during that time between Pearl Harbor and the time you guys left the farm? Any other stories?

TH: I can't think of anything.

TI: There's one that you mentioned earlier about, something about the family burning?

TH: Oh, we were given a limit. We had to be out of the area by May 2nd. And the day before we left, my parents were burning all their Japanese books, Japanese pictures, everything. And one of the neighbors apparently thought we were sending signals, which I don't blame 'em, you know, this big bonfire going. In those days it didn't matter, I mean, it was okay to burn things. Anyway, a couple of FBI came, big burly fellows, and wanted to know what was going on. And my brother told him, "Well, we have to move." And they knew that, too. But anyway, they were very sympathetic and helped my parents clean the house out.

TI: And when you say sympathetic, as you were watching them, what kind of things would they do that made you feel like they were sympathetic?

TH: They helped my dad and them load the truck up, you know, pack things, whatever we wanted to take, which wasn't very much.

TI: And going back to the burning, you mentioned Japanese things, do you know why your dad, your family was burning these things?

TH: They just thought that that we shouldn't have anything Japanese. I mean, that's... their friends and they talked about it, and that would be bad.

TI: And when you said neighbors called the FBI, do you know which neighbors did that?

TH: Well, it was the neighbor that actually took care of the dog afterwards.

TI: So they were kind of friends of yours.

TH: They were friends, but, you know, I think they were the ones that thought we might be, but I don't know.

TI: Boy, that's complicated, let me think about this. So you think it's your, the family that took the dog, but yet, there must have been some feelings from you that they would call the FBI.

TH: Right, and to take care of our dog, and then later, a few months later, write and tell us they picked some of the strawberries.

TI: So how do you feel about this family? When you think about, you know, they took care of the dog but they potentially called the FBI, what do you think about this?

TH: I didn't blame 'em. I mean, we had a big fire going. Little furniture we had, we burned that. Because we had to clean the house out, because we were moving out. So I kind of felt that... I don't blame them for being nervous.

TI: And then it sounds like your family had, some of the family had conversations with them because they then took the dog?

TH: Right, yes.

TI: Do you know who in your family?

TH: No. I guess it was my brother maybe got a letter or whatever. Because I don't remember them having any children.

TI: Do you know who dropped the dog off at this family's...

TH: I think my poor dog just wandered to any house. We didn't know there was such a thing called Humane Society those days. Maybe they didn't have Humane Societies.

TI: Oh, so you think maybe the dog was, maybe just left at the house.

TH: It was.

TI: Okay, so it wasn't, like, given to the family.

TH: No.

TI: It was left there.

TH: Yeah.

TI: And then later on, the family took the dog.

TH: For my parents, it was sad to leave the strawberries. For me, the kids, it was sad to leave the dog.

TI: Well, so then, I guess, you're grateful that, knowing the dog's okay.

TH: Yes.

TI: Wow. By any chance, do you remember the name of the family?

TH: Name of the family that took the dog? I don't remember. Because they didn't have kids, so I never associated with them.

TI: That's a good story.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2022 Densho. All Rights Reserved.