<Begin Segment 8>

TI: Okay, so let's talk about that. So when we, on December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

EI: Yeah.

TI: Do you remember that day?

EI: Yeah, I remember.

TI: So tell me what happened that day for you.

EI: I was at the bar serving the customer. That day, when I opened up the bar, have the radio on, "Japan attacked the United States," can't believe it. But they said so. All excited, that's all.

TI: And what did your customers do when they heard?

EI: Same thing, they don't know.

TI: And who were your customers? Were your customers Japanese, or were they different, like Japanese, Filipino?

EI: Filipino, Mexican, or other people.

TI: And so after people heard the radio, did anybody say anything to you because you were Japanese, like anything bad or anything like that?

EI: They know that. They know.

TI: So did you talk to your father about what was going to happen to the business and everything?

EI: No, we don't talk about it. We can't, no time. We got to protect our business.

TI: Now, on December 7th and right after, do you remember the FBI coming to Walnut Grove?

EI: Yeah.

TI: So tell me about that. What happened?

EI: Oh, they pick up the good leadership, Japanese leadership, take 'em away to internment camp or something, I don't know.

TI: Did they ever come and talk to your father?

EI: Huh?

TI: Did they come and talk to your father, the FBI?

EI: No, they don't bother. I don't know why.

TI: 'Cause I was thinking that your father was such an important businessperson.

EI: I know, but he doesn't stick the head out to the outside too much. I think some of 'em who, Japanese put outside the, head outside, the people, to the people, they're the ones got picked up.

TI: Okay, so the ones that were kind of more, that talked more outside were the ones they picked up. So pretty soon, people got orders that they had to leave Walnut Grove. What did you do with all the businesses?

EI: I sold it to the Caucasians that were working for my other store. Say they'd be glad to take care, so return it when we come back.

TI: So did you sell the business or did you just, like, let him run the business?

EI: Huh?

TI: Did you sell him the business or did you --

EI: Yeah, sell him.

TI: Okay, but the idea was, when you returned, he would sell it back to you?

EI: Yeah, that's right.

TI: And the same thing with the store?

EI: Store, yeah. Rented.

TI: You rented that.

EI: Yeah.

TI: To the same person or someone different?

EI: No, same person.

TI: And who was this man? Do you remember his name?

EI: Mr. Ray Allen. Ray, R-A-Y, Allen, A-L-L-E-N.

TI: Okay, Ray Allen.

EI: Yeah.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2009 Densho and Preserving California's Japantowns. All Rights Reserved.