<Begin Segment 27>

DH: Sam, I think you said that when you came back to Seattle you saw some goons, I think, you said on a train that gave you a scare. Can you tell us about that experience?

IN: Well, Kay and I came back, one of the first ones to come back, not to resettle, but to kind of check out the atmosphere and see how things were. And when we got off the train at the Union Station, I believe, and came up the stairs, there were a couple of tough looking guys at the top of the stairs, and one of them said to the other, "We'll get these two, too." Apparently I found out later, they were goons from the teamster's union 'cause Dave Beck was very opposed to our coming back. Dave Beck was a power in Seattle at that time, and he was opposed to our coming back, but nothing happened to us. We made our way.

DH: And then you also had a frightening experience at the Williams.

IN: Yes. Well, we came, we called Mrs. Williams, who was very favorably inclined toward us, and to see how she felt, and she invited to us dinner that evening. And so we went down and during the course of the evening somebody knocked at the door, and she said, "You two better get back in the bedroom (in) back, because we really don't know who's coming." And it turned out to be nothing serious and the evening passed, and we had -- she was very kind to us, but outside of that there was no bad experience.

DH: Most of the island was in favor of the Japanese returning to the island.

KN: Yeah, never heard anything negative. So I guess -- and we never experienced anything that was bad so I think it was okay.

DH: Well, Walt Woodward wrote in favor of the Japanese returning and there was a small movement on the island, I guess, opposed to that, but I think that most people believed that was the minority. And is that the way you felt too, most people were really happy to have you back and happy to see you again?

KN: Uh-huh, and they were very nice, but I know I was very cautious about every move I made. I was like watching over my shoulder like to make sure nothing is going to happen, but I didn't have to worry, really.

DH: Did you feel that people were looking at you differently when you came back?

KN: No, we didn't feel that way.

IN: Their reaction was depending upon the individual, and I would say in the majority that there was, a feeling was not negative.

KN: And if there had been some negative feelings, they were not showing it, but this island is a great place. Gets better all the time.

<End Segment 27> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.