<Begin Segment 19>

TI: So describe leaving Walnut Grove. Where did you go to leave Walnut Grove?

WM: Merced. We went to Merced first, and then we went to Amache.

TI: So how did you go from Walnut Grove to Merced?

WM: I think train or something, I forgot. But I know we went Merced to Amache, train.

TI: Now, when you went to Merced, do you remember that day and what you were maybe thinking when you went to Merced?

WM: It was sad. Bummed, man, that place was dirty place.

TI: So tell me, when you say it's dirty, what was it like?

WM: Looked like jail.

TI: And how did you feel about that? When you saw this place that was dirty, looked like a jail...

WM: Can't do nothing.

TI: Do you remember anyone in your family saying anything or the look on their face?

WM: No. Well, no use.

TI: So when you got to Merced, tell me what kind of living quarters... where did you live at Merced?

WM: Barrack, in a barrack.

TI: And so there were nine of you, so it's a pretty big family. So how many rooms did you have?

WM: Two rooms. See, we had boy this side and my (parents) and daughter stay in one room.

TI: And what are some memories of Merced? What did you do...

WM: We stayed only one year over there, I think.

TI: Well, maybe not that long. Maybe... yeah, maybe one or two months?

WM: It must have been that.

TI: Yeah, so it was pretty short. But during that time, do you remember anything that you did at Merced? Like any games or... because you were...

WM: No, we didn't (do any). We didn't play sports, nothing. Short time.

TI: Because you were maybe fourteen years old, fourteen, so you're a young teenage boy. Do you remember ever trying to explore Merced with friends, walk around different places?

WM: We didn't know the friend, all new guys.

TI: But how about some of your friends from Walnut Grove? Were they at Merced, your friends that you played baseball with?

WM: Yeah, Louie was there, same camp, same block. Amache, same thing, he was same block. Amache, more better, we could go out anytime you want. Only one mile to the town.

JS: Do you remember your parents' response? 'Cause your dad was a businessman and very busy.

WM: Yeah.

JS: But then when he went to Merced...

WM: He'd be taking care of the shoe.

JS: He took care of the shoes?

WM: Yeah, foreman, boss, boss.

TI: Oh, so he kind of ran the shoe repair shop at Merced?

WM: Not Merced, they didn't have nothing.

TI: Not Merced, but at...

WM: In the camp, they have co-op, co-op store. So they asked if my dad could do the foreman job.

TI: Well, that would make sense, because he knew the business. Did he ever, when he was in Amache, the camp, did he ever have his equipment from Walnut Grove?

WM: Nothing. He didn't take nothing. He stay, leave it in the home.

TI: Okay, so he left it there.

WM: (We couldn't take any except clothes and one suitcase for each of us).

<End Segment 19> - Copyright (c) 2009 Densho and Preserving California's Japantowns. All Rights Reserved.