<Begin Segment 5>

BF: So you were saying that you had -- when you left camp, it sounds as though you were part of the National Student Relocation Program, is that...?

CT: Not, no, I didn't leave through that program, but the reason I went to Denver is because Mrs. Yasui and her two, I guess, three children were out in Denver and my mother felt that I should go to Denver where someone could keep an eye out on me. That's why I happened to go to Denver.

BF: Oh. And you left... why did you leave, why did your mother not leave with you at the same time?

CT: I don't think she was able to get clearance at that time, yeah.

BF: Do you, do you recall your feelings about leaving camp, and going to a place you've never been and leaving your mom and things like that?

CT: Well you know, it's funny, I left with two other people that were leaving for college. And so I had company leaving, and I, you know, I wasn't really that frightened. And of course, the fact that the Yasuis were there in Denver and I knew people -- I knew others that were there so it was... I knew that someone was going to be around if I needed them, and they had a place where I was supposed to do housework, you know, while I was going to school. And I had a place to live, so to speak. Which was a very horrible experience.

BF: Why?

CT: Oh, the woman was terrible, she was so cruel. A lot of us, you know, a lot of us that went as maids to homes were treated very, very badly. But she accused me of breaking a dish, which I never -- I know I didn't break -- and one night I came home rather late in the evening and she locked me out of the house. And so it was very unpleasant. And she didn't like the way I cleaned house. And so, but anyway, one day I just went, packed my clothes and left.

BF: So although you were, you knew the Yasuis there, you ended up -- you were living at this woman's house as her housekeeper, and cook and things like that.

CT: Uh-huh.

BF: Wow. And you were eighteen?

CT: (Eighteen.)

BF: Still seventeen. See, now that to me -- I hear so many Nisei tell me... Nisei women tell me about leaving camp and going off on their own to school, or to jobs and it just seems to me that it would take a tremendous amount of courage.

CT: Yeah, well, a lot of people talk about it, I think that we all felt a little insecure because here you are, you're going to the outside world, and suddenly you think, "Oh God, is somebody going to shoot me?" Or... but, you know, it didn't happen, it was okay. I mean, as I said, I had these two fellows with me, so I didn't feel that insecure.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.