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JS: So can you describe like a typical day in Isleton's Japantown?

BK: Huh?

JS: Can you describe how you would spend the day in town?

BK: Well, when we were kids, I mean, most of us went swimming, and we couldn't... well, our family, my mom wouldn't let us go until after Fourth of July. And we roller skated, we all had roller skates. We didn't have bicycles, but we had roller skates. And since we had such a big community backyard, we had a basketball court and a baseball diamond. And when the grass grew high enough, we used to knock those down and play "house." So we, yeah. I think most of us that didn't have businesses that needed help, yeah, we just played together, but never went into Chinatown or to the white town.

JS: So you would play mostly in the back area, backyard area, outside?

BK: Yeah, or we were at the river during the summer.

JS: And why wouldn't your mom let you swim before July? Too cold?

BK: Too cold, yeah. And then, you know, after the summer was over, then she would let us go fishing. And to us, I mean, Dad used to make our fishing pole with just bamboo and a safety pin for a hook.

JS: What kind, what would you use for bait?

BK: He used to keep the heta of the bread and make panko like.

JS: And what would you catch?

BK: Mostly catfish, or a small bass. I mean, it was illegal. I didn't know it was illegal then, I mean, now it is. But at that time, it didn't matter what you, you know.

JS: So who did you spend time with? Your sister or...

BK: Yeah, I spent a lot of time with my best girlfriend Lillian, and she passed away a few years ago. And I don't, when I think back, I don't know if I spent more time with her because she couldn't go swimming, 'cause they had a big restaurant.

JS: What was her restaurant? What kind of food?

BK: Regular American food.

JS: American food.

BK: Yeah, and Chinese food. And they all, the kids all have to help at the restaurant. And she had to man the cashier and so I don't know, because she couldn't go swimming or she couldn't go play on the railroad tracks or, I mean, she just couldn't do what I did. And so I used to go and visit, like the shoe repair shop, and talk to Mr. Washizu. And then I used to go over across the street to the tofu-ya and watch Mr. Shusho make tofu. I mean, I've always been, I was curious. So I've been to almost everybody's house. And when I talk to my girlfriends now, you know, 'cause we meet about, oh, once every three months for lunch. And when we talk about old times, most of 'em had to help with the business or they were farmer's kids, so they had to work out in the field. And they keep saying how lucky I was.

JS: So you had more free time than the rest of them.

BK: Oh, yeah, oh, yeah. 'Cause we even got to go to the World's Fair at Treasure Island.

JS: Do you remember that? What do you remember about that?

BK: Yeah, I remember we went on the train, and Mom packed us a lunch, and my girlfriend got carsick. [Laughs] And after we got there, I remember this kid telling us he lost all his money. So I said, "Did you play the games and lose all your money?" And he said, no, he got on one of those rides, and all the change came out of his pocket. [Laughs]

JS: How old were you during the World's Fair?

BK: Oh, gee, I don't know, maybe ten.

JS: Ten?

BK: Yeah.

JS: Okay, that was 1939? Yeah. But, you know, we were able to go, and then sometimes I wonder if my parents, I mean, how can they afford that?

JS: Who took you to the World's Fair? You went with a friend?

BK: I think it was the school that sponsored it.

JS: Oh, the school did?

BK: Yeah. So a lot of kids didn't get to go because they couldn't afford it. And the ones that, like us, the ones that were lucky enough to go, I mean, we weren't rich by any means, but my parents found the money someplace. So a lot of things other kids never got to do, I got to do. But I like going to, you know, to visit the elderly. Like I used to go to Mr. and Mrs. Kito's house, they don't have any kids, and they used to have a pool hall. So she showed me how to rack up the balls. And yeah, she said, "The only thing you can't help with is serve the customers beer." And I says, "Why?" And underage didn't mean anything.

JS: So you would just go to the different business and visit with neighbors and help out where you could. Did you have any part-time jobs? You were too young.

BK: Uh-huh. I was young yet, so, yeah. 'Cause I was fourteen when I went to, just turned fourteen when I went to camp.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright (c) 2009 Densho and Preserving California's Japantowns. All Rights Reserved.