<Begin Segment 5>

TI: Okay, so let's pick it up there. So let me ask about your mother. What was your mother's name?

WM: Juyo Iwanaga before.

TI: And why don't you tell me a little bit about what she was like? If you were to describe your mother...

WM: She was nice.

TI: So she was a gentle woman?

WM: Yes.

TI: And tell me about the relationship between your mother and father. How would you describe that?

WM: It's okay, I think. They made kids. [Laughs]

TI: And how about your father? How would you describe...

WM: He was nice.

TI: And, Walter, so when you and your brothers maybe got into trouble, like if you did something that you weren't supposed to do, who in the family, the mother or father, who would be the one who'd get mad at you?

WM: Dad.

TI: And how would he get mad at you? What would he do?

WM: He never said too much. He said, "Don't do that," like that.

TI: But you could tell when he was angry?

WM: Yeah.

TI: So he started this shoe store in Walnut Grove, and you mentioned, so he kind of worked there himself, he sold shoes, he repaired shoes. Who were his customers? Who did he sell to?

WM: Oh, the Japanese and some outside.

TI: And so did any of the Chinese or white people...

WM: I think so. I don't know, we didn't go to the store (...). He said, "Don't come."

TI: Now, did you ever see how, how your father got the shoes? Like where did he buy the shoes?

WM: Sacramento, I think.

TI: And how would he go to Sacramento? How often?

WM: He'd drive the car, so he got the car.

TI: Oh, so your family had a car.

WM: Only one, that's all. Then we can't drive 'til we get old.

TI: And how frequently would he go to Sacramento?

WM: He used to go once a week or something, go buy the stuff or something.

TI: And when your father worked at the shoe store, what did your mother do?

WM: She had to cook and take care of the yard or something.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright (c) 2009 Densho and Preserving California's Japantowns. All Rights Reserved.