<Begin Segment 19>

MN: Do you, let's talk about your -- we're gonna ask the same questions again -- do you folks remember, do you remember how Akira proposed to you?

KK: No. [Laughs] That's one question I can't, I've forgotten.

MN: Was it in the barracks? In the mess hall? Outside?

KK: Where did you propose? I don't remember.

AK: We went to the dance quite a bit. I don't know, maybe... yeah, I don't remember, I don't remember when I proposed to her.

MN: Do you remember what you said to her?

AK: Same old thing, "Will you marry me?" [Laughs] We were going pretty steady then.

MN: So you were confident that Keiko would say yes?

AK: Yeah.

MN: Were you expecting a marriage proposal?

KK: Well, yes. [Laughs]

MN: So how did you feel when he popped the question?

AK: "It's about time." No? [Laughs]

MN: Were you surprised that he was, he got you a ring?

KK: Yeah, I was surprised.

AK: I had my sister, she was in Chicago, I had her get it for me.

KK: That's why I was surprised he had a ring.

MN: I don't think people could afford a diamond ring at that time.

KK: Yeah.

MN: So when you asked you, when he proposed to you, what did you say to him?

KK: What did I say? [Laughs]

AK: I don't know.

KK: He doesn't remember and neither do I.

AK: I was in a kind of a daze, I guess. [Laughs]

MN: So after he proposed to you, did you immediately go talk to your parents?

KK: Gee, I don't know when we talked to our parents, my parents. I guess we both went and talked to them. They kind of knew, anyway.

MN: And then when did you start talking about wedding arrangements?

KK: I have no idea.

AK: Yeah, I can't remember whether we got married in camp or outside, or...

KK: Can't remember that far back.

MN: Because you could've gotten married in camp.

KK: No, we didn't get married in camp.

MN: Did you not want to get married in camp? [KK shakes head] Why not?

KK: Lot of things.

MN: You preferred outside. So once he asked you the question, is that when you started to think about a wedding gown?

KK: Were you gonna say anything?

AK: No. I was, I forgot.

MN: Who was your maid of honor?

KK: My sister.

MN: Who as your best man?

AK: Gee, who was it?

KK: Shimpei?

AK: Shimpei?

KK: Shimpei.

AK: Shimpei Nishimura.

KK: Hey, we were really surprised he said he said yes, 'cause he's a loner. He doesn't like to go out. And so when he asked him and he said yes, I thought, I nearly fell over. [Laughs] Because he's not a person to say yes to anything, you know?

MN: That speaks to how much respect Shimpei had for your husband.

KK: Yeah, I think so. I think so.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.