<Begin Segment 8>

JS: You told me one time that you would help at a restaurant?

NM: Huh?

JS: Do you remember? You used to help at a restaurant in the morning...

NM: I used to work in the restaurant first. My first job was restaurant. I got three dollars, I used to... the reason they needed me was to write the menu on the board, you know, blackboard, I wrote that. And then I sweep the floor, take all the dishes and wait, everything. So I learned -- that's my first job, restaurant. And half a year I did it, three dollar a week. Three dollar went to my folks.

JS: Do you remember the name of the restaurant?

NM: Huh?

JS: The name of the restaurant, or who was the owner?

NM: Which restaurant?

JS: Uh-huh.

NM: Hikiji, the first restaurant I worked. And I used to sweep the floor. Before I left, I'd go there six in the morning, eight o'clock, I'd go to school. And then they fed me breakfast, of course. Then I do all the... before I leave the, all the pots and pans, I wash it and have it ready for them to use it for the stew meat and all that. They got to get that ready, see. So morning time, I knew what to do. Sweep the floor, keep it clean, menu, write the menu.

JS: So they needed you to write the menu in English?

NM: Yeah, then the pies and all that. And half year I did that, restaurant. Then the newspaper route opened up for me. I said, "Okay, I'll take the newspaper because that's the more healthier than the outdoor." And then I did that while I was going to school. Then dog used to come after me, you know, the family, god, then I got my feet up there, and it still come. So one time I had a rock, had it in my bag. [Laughs] I was ready for it. And then it came, here they come. One come, boom, I hit him right here. [Gestures to forehead] Yelled, and ran home. Next day, they never come after me. I'm waiting for them, they don't come. They're smart. So newspaper and all that. But I had to give away that newspaper route to somebody else, because my dad started working in the vegetables, so I helped him more. So somebody else started doing it. So I had the newspaper route, all kinds of job. Restaurant I worked. In Fresno, ten different places. You work hard, they'll hire you, yeah. In those days, one day, two day, I used to go. They wanted help. So they used to pay me pretty good, yeah. So any kind of job at restaurant. Well, I could still hold two cup and saucer, coffee, like, this. [Laughs]

JS: [Laughs] Many skills.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2010 Densho and Preserving California's Japantowns. All Rights Reserved.