14-12-4
Manzanar, Calif.

Oct. 14, 1944

Dear Joe & Tor,

It was good to hear from you again but we were surprised to hear about your colds. Out here we're just doing fine & we're all well. A lot of people have colds out here too. Gee, its funny how you both got it at the same time!

Gee, Thursday night I was up till 3:00 AM trying to study for a test. Gosh, I sure was tired the following day. It was Friday the 13th & I had nothing but bad luck. I went to bed early last night because I only had 4 hours of sleep the other night. School, man its terrific. Nothing but tests! I can only think of L.A. schools & how easy they were. Nothing like it here.

Gee, Tor, it's too bad that you couldn't enter school but when Mr. Merritt said about returning to the coast, if we are able to go wouldn't you like to go back with us & go to UCLA? It might be good.

If you remember Hank Honda, the guy you met in Salt Lake City, he's going to Stanford & teach Japanese. He was supposed to go to the Army Service (was drafted) but he was deferred because of that reason.

[Page 2]

Dog-gon, every Saturday the weather gets good & screwy. It sure makes a guy sore. Just when school is out, too! Its windy right now.

I forgot to tell you more about the time I was up till 3:00 AM. Well, I was so darn sleepy that I couldn't stay up so every time I'd put cold towel on my face to keep awake.

I only had my pajamas & slippers on but gradually my feet got colder & at three when I was going to bed, I had frozen feet & I was freezing. Boy, I'll never forget what that was like.

I woke up at 8:00 this morning & went to bed at 8:00 last night. All I did was the washing since I've been up.

Mom & pop are at work as usual. Do you guys remember Mr. Severns who used to be assistant to Unoura sans Church? Remember when he came to Pacific Palisades picnic the time we went? Well he's coming to Manzanar & papa is really happy because he knows him pretty well.

Odahara's got their sofa which has another piece to it & they sure are sorry because they'll have

[Page 3]

to shift it back if we're going to the coast again.

When there are boys who don't keep their rooms clean & just throw every thing around & keep dirty & waste money, you guys ought to keep 'em out or make them do the dishes every night & clean the whole place or tie them to a telephone pole & take their shirts off & tickle them till they will keep the place clean.

We're certainly glad that you're not keeping the place dirty. Its probably because we've been so clean from back home & we have good parents.

Last night they had a show in the auditorium & it was on fire prevention since it was Fire Prevention week. We had to write about preventing fires and were graded on it. They were all judged & they had prizes for them. The grand prize was 13 bucks & a girl in the 10th grade got it. A lot of people were going & you should have seen the big crowd in front of the auditorium waiting to see that show & awarded winners.

[Page 4]

Last Friday around 3 in the morning the drafted boys left from Manzanar. They were the second group that left from here already. In the second group Kay Iiyama & Kenji Ogone left. Thats Lucy's brother. Davey left from the first group. They had the music on full blast & you know that I have coffee nerves. Well, I woke up & stayed awake till 4:00 & then I went to sleep again.

I was over Yas's place & she told me that Davey was in florida. Mr. said that Davey swam twice in florida & in there, there were aligators. Davey had to clean house or rather his barrack for some time & also the kitchen which I heard was really not fun but only hard work.

I bet I turned out funny in the pictures. Golly, I bet you guys will laugh real lots when you see the pictures huh!

I hope you'll write more often. Since I can't write real often, I'll just be waiting for your letters. Hey Tor, Hows about a letter!

So long,

Me

P. S. Excuse the writing. Its cold!