<Begin Segment 6>

TL: When you observed your girlfriends' relationships with their mothers, did you wonder about what you might have if you had a chance to know your own mother?

AT: Uh-huh. I wish I was with Mother in America. I kind of wanted to come back, I think. So when my mother came back to Japan and said, "I'm going to take you back," and I was glad to come. But the saddest part was that I had to part with my older brother, because he and I grew up together.

TL: Well, how did he feel? Did he share some of your feeling of wanting to go to America, or did he think differently?

AT: I don't know. I can't tell. Well, I'm sure it was sad for him.

TL: What kind of contact did your mother have with you while you were living in Japan?

AT: Absolutely none. No, she never wrote to us. She was sending money to Aunt to raise us. And I don't know how much it was, but I'm sure substantial amounts of it. She didn't have to go to work. In fact, she started a sewing business, because there was two, three, sewing machine. Was not... almost unheard of in Japan then. Everybody made kimono with their, by hand.

TL: Were they U.S. sewing machines?

AT: Yes. I think every time my grandmother came back, she brought back one sewing machine or something like that. So there was one, two, three sewing machines.

TL: What kind of impression did you have then of America?

AT: Impression? I really don't know. I can't remember. I thought America is probably nice place to live, but I probably couldn't imagine.

TL: From what you said, it sounds like all the -- like the money and the sewing machine -- people probably had an idea that the U.S. is maybe wealthy or...

AT: Yes.

TL: A place with a lot of opportunities.

AT: Yes, more luxury. My mother was quite an outgoing person. And so when she come back to Japan to visit, instead of calling for taxi to go from place to place, she would hire the car, and she drives the car and let the driver sit on the side. And I was so embarrassed about this, but she was that kind of person.

TL: And do you remember why you were embarrassed?

AT: Well, Japanese ladies never -- I never saw a Japanese woman driving.

TL: So it just didn't seem quite right.

AT: Yes. So when I was driving with her, then I was always kind of hide my face. [Laughs]

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.