<Begin Segment 10>

DG: Well, let's talk about your moving on toward wartime now.

MM. Towards wartime? What kind of... Papa used to say, "Senso ga, hajimaru..."

DG: So, you were in a depression time. How was the store?

MM: 19'? Depression was 19' when?

DG: Thirties.

MM: Thirties. Depression time when Papa bought the property, huh?

AM: Mmm.

MM: Yeah, well, he said a lot of people, when they found out Papa was going to (build) the building, (...) lot of people said they wanted to move, but then we found out they were in back rent and they couldn't move and Papa said, "I can't wait for them." So he decided to move here. He wasn't, I think he wanted to go back to Japan, and live there. And live off the income, I guess. But, that didn't...

DG: So were you planning to go to Japan?

MM: I guess Papa, ne?

AM: Uh-huh. He wanted to.

MM: Papa wanted to, I think. 'Cause he hadn't had a chance to go back at all.

DG: But had he prepared...

AM: To visit, I think. I think he wanted to visit and maybe live there for awhile. He bought a bamboo, bamboo...

MM: Bamboo ranch, ka farm, or whatever. Take no takebatake.

AM: Take yama.

DG: He bought some property...

MM: He bought some property in Japan, too. But he never made it so that property was given away. We told them we don't want it so give it away to the cousins.

DG: So did, did you think you were gonna go to Japan?

MM: Whether Papa was willing to take us, yeah. We would've gone, but... but not to live permanently, though.

DG: Oh, is that right? Well, as you were growing up and in high school, what were you planning to do with your life, did you think?

MM: The business. With helping the family business, but I was thinking -- she had different ideas maybe, but...

DG: What were your ideas, Aya?

MM: What were you...

AM: Hmm?

DG: What were you planning...

MM: What, if you, if you weren't, going to help Papa in the store, what were you planning to do?

AM: I don't know.

MM: We're more or less kinda tied down.

DG: Well, you were expected in a way...

MM: In a way.

DG: ...to...

MM: 'Cause Papa couldn't understand that much English to run by himself.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.