<Begin Segment 4>

JN: Do you remember when you were preparing to leave, what was it like in your family in that week's time when you were having to leave your, leave everything, leave your strawberry farm and get ready to go? How, can you describe how that time was?

YO: I don't know, we just picked up our things that we were supposed to, and of course we asked our neighbors to come and live at the house, and they were more than willing to do that, so we really had good neighbors. Even when I came back for a visit, they came to see me.

JN: Who are your neighbors?

YO: They were the Caves, lived right across the street from us. And they were Miss Jemma, who was real good to us, they were, anyway, all our neighbors were real good to us.

JN: So did any, who took care of your house then, and your farm?

YO: One of the neighbors, they were missionaries and they were renting a house across the street from us, and my brother went over to ask them if they wouldn't mind living in our house, so they came over and took care of our place. They had a difficult time because they said somebody would come up, 'cause we're so close to the ferry, they would ask 'em, "they're not coming back," so they wanted to take the things from the house, but no, they did nothing, so they locked up the, our garage 'cause they'd put things, all the tools and things in there, and so we were really thankful that, they had a hard time just watching the place, I think.

JN: That was really good on their part. Did you have people running the farm, the strawberry farm then?

YO: Yes. Well, my brother had charge of that, so he had asked people, or he'd, I think he, yeah, he asked one of the Filipinos to take over. That was a year that was very good strawberries, this first year or two, so we were sorry we had to leave that.

JN: Then when you came back, then did you get your farm and your home back?

YO: Oh, yes.

JN: Okay. Leaving Bainbridge Island, the day you had to leave, if you can remember what it was like, what are your memories of March 30, 19 --

YO: Nothing. It's blank. [Laughs] I don't seem to remember even gettin' on a train. I saw the pictures of it, but then...

JN: That's significant. Is, how do you feel about not remember anything about that day?

YO: It's fine. I mean, to me, I think nothing of it.

JN: Do you, do you remember going to Manzanar, arriving there?

YO: I'm not sure.

JN: What do you remember about Manzanar at all?

YO: Well, first when we went down I think we were more scared than anything because we were on the first block, right next to the gate, I mean, where the, and certain times at night we can hear people going over there, and so I think we were more scared than anything.

JN: Did you, all of your brothers -- you had lots of brothers and sisters -- did they all feel the same? Or did you, have you talked about it?

YO: I don't think we ever talked about it.

<End Segment 4> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.