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VY: How about other kids or toys that you had? Like did you have a favorite toy?

MM: No, I don't have a favorite toy, and I don't remember the friends I played with. There was one girl that I know I played with. I can't remember her name, I don't remember what she looked like. But I don't know if this is the correct place to say this, but when we went into camp, our neighbors, when I was born, who were white, I believe they were white, I don't know why I think that. But they couldn't believe we were going. Anyway, when I was born, they bought, as a group, I don't know who all, but they bought me a present of... what do you call those things? A chest of drawers with an armoire kind of closet thing on the side for children. And since we couldn't take it with us, they saved it for us the whole war. They didn't think that we were going to be there that long because they said, "No, they can't do this to you," and so they saved it. They saved it all those years not knowing whether we'd actually ever be back, but they did in Tacoma.

VY: Wow, did you get it back?

MM: Oh, yeah, my son has it now. And I told him he can't... and Caitlin's going to eventually get it to put it in the archives or something. But it's one of the things that has been saved from that time.

VY: Did you have a chance to open it and look inside?

MM: Oh yeah, I used that for a while, yeah. Because it was not, I mean, it doesn't look brand new because I used it and then I had my son use it when he was born, so I used it a lot.

VY: When did you first receive it? Like do you remember having that as a child or was it something that you...

MM: I don't remember when I remember it, I just know that I've had it for ages, ever, but I don't know remember when I got it.

VY: Okay, it's just kind of been in your family ever since.

MM: Now, I don't know if this is the place to put it, but one of the things when we moved, when we got out of camp... well, you don't want to talk about that yet, about going out of camp? Because I remember coming back on a train.

VY: Oh, yeah, we're going to get there real soon. Okay. Well, actually, anything else about camp just as your own personal experience as a child, memories or smells or feelings?

MM: There's one memory I have, but I don't know whether it was during camp or whether it was in Tacoma when I was born. I just thought it was the strangest thing, and it's gone away, but it was not... it was more a feeling of being held, like cradled. So I don't know if it was... and it was so vivid, I mean, I could just feel myself being held. And it was like that memory, that feeling memory lasted until I was probably in my twenties or thirties, finally I just kind of, now I don't have it. I mean, I have the memory in my head, but I don't have that feeling. It's interesting what your mind remembers.

VY: Yeah, it really is. Was that a comforting feeling?

MM: Oh yes, it was. It was really wonderful, just a feeling of being held. And I don't know who was doing the holding, I assume it was my mom or dad, I don't know, but I always thought it was my mom, probably.

VY: Yeah, I've heard other people who were very young children in camp have those similar memories and feelings, not really being able to place them in time, but some really stuck with them for a long time. So was there anything else you'd like to add in your own personal experience before we move on?

MM: No, I can't think of anything right now.

<End Segment 13> - Copyright © 2024 Densho. All Rights Reserved.