Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Frank S. Fujii Interview
Narrator: Frank S. Fujii
Interviewers: Larry Hashima (primary), Beth Kawahara (secondary)
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: September 3 and 5, 1997
Densho ID: denshovh-ffrank-01-0006

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LH: So what kind of relationship did you have with your, your parents then, if...

FF: Oh, I was real close to my folks. My mother always made sure I get the kind of food that I want, sometimes, which people were mad at. You know, instead of eating some unusual fish dish she'll make me egg sandwich or a hot dog. [Laughs] And then Dad would always... well, Dad, every Sunday as a ritual, I'd work with him at the tavern to clean it up and mop the floor or mop the bar and then he lets me play the pinball machine. And there was a ritual of companionship and Dad enjoyed having me as an eight years old, nine years old, who helped him. And then it was a ritual where I'd look forward to, because I was one of the very few probably Niseis who were real close to the Issei father. And so at that age to hop onto the trolley or street car, to end of the line down to Second and Yesler where they had the Florin Theater where I had an opportunity to go to a movie every Sunday with Dad. I really enjoyed that. I really felt that was something that we had with each other. And so being close to him, I really felt very secure. I think there's something about parenthood that I like to think that probably rubbed off on me when I became a parent -- that I was so protective and wanted to include my kids. So that was okay.

LH: So do you think that this was a really different relationship that you had with your parents that your siblings didn't have?

FF: Oh yeah. I think they had more time. Being nine, the last of the nine -- they called me "Last of the Mohican" kind of kid. And, but you know, I was not that bad a kid, I didn't think, although some people thought differently. But I had, I had idols. I had my brothers to look up to, other athletes and people in the community who I remember. And the weird part of it all is that I remember the older generation who were the good athletes, and I think I had a unusual memory for people who are older than myself. My peer groups, well, school; I'm not, I wasn't academic then, so you don't talk about school and stuff. And people who were my age didn't indulge in playing with the older guys in sports like I did. But as far as my brothers and sisters, they all had to sort of fend for themselves and get grades in school and let Mom and Dad deal with the youngest, as the baby of the family, and take care of me and, and spoil me.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.