Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Floyd Schmoe Interview II
Narrator: Floyd Schmoe
Interviewer: Elmer Good
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: June 22, 1998
Densho ID: denshovh-sfloyd-02-0013

<Begin Segment 13>

EG: Aki hasn't been gone very long yet, but what do you miss about...

FS: What?

EG: What do you miss of Aki being gone most?

FS: I miss her wonderful, wonderful enthusiasm and optimism. She used to come every Sunday and take me to Friends' meeting. I miss that. And... when she was in my office, she was no great shakes as a secretary. She couldn't take dictation, she couldn't type, she wasn't fluent even in Japanese language; but she was a shining light in the office. At the same time there was a Church of the Brethren girl who is secretary. And Dan West, who is the head of the Brethren Service Committee, and a wonderful chap, came to my office at the Friends Southern, near the University, one day. And this Church of the Brethren girl came into my private office, and said, "There is a man here who wants to see you." And I said, "Is he FBI?" She said, "No. He's not smooth enough to be FBI." I did find FBI and naval intelligence in every case, gentlemen. And then she said to him -- Dan -- that she knew he was driving south. And her family lived in, her mother lived in Olympia. And she said, "You'll be going through Olympia about noon, and I'd like to have you stop off and see my mother there." And he said he'd be happy to do that, and then he left. And she called her mother and said that Dan West was going to stop, and could her mother offer him lunch, or hospitality at least. And her mother, in effect, threw up her arms and said, "No." She was cleaning house. She wasn't in position or mood to entertain anybody and she didn't want Dan West. And I can't remember the girl's name. She said, "Well, you'd better get ready because he's on his way." Then I heard no more about it until the following Monday, I guess, and the Brethren girl came back to the office. I said, "Oh, how did your mother get along with Dan West?" She said, "You know, Mom now has Dan all mixed up with God." [Laughs]

EG: You just never know when he was going to drop in on you whether you are ready or not, huh? Okay. Thank you very much.

<End Segment 13> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.