1635 Granville Ave.
Los Angeles 25, California

August 5, 1945

Dear Joe,

Please forgive me for not writing more often. I guess a little excitement of being home causes me to forget!! Mama has been working very hard. The weeds in our yard were growing sky high and so she took them all out! She planted a victory garden and some of the cactus which Odahara san gave us. Today she is scrubbing the mattresses with soap water. The mattresses were just filthy. I guess they had a baby and the mattresses stunk the house out! Mom has also cleaned the house, too. Scrubbed all the windows and all corners of the house including the woodwork. She's done quite a lot of things but right now I can not recall them.

Papa had a sore arm for so many days so he didn't do a thing but he got well and helped quite a bit. He painted the washing machine, card table, part of the woodwork, clothes hamper, dresser and the screens on the windows. He patched the torn ones. I think that he has also cut the lawn today and has done a lot of weed work in the yard. He cut down part of the pepper tree in the back yard. Pop fixed all of the shades, too! None of the shaded would rise!

As for me, all I do is dishes, cook, clean house, and write letters and loaf. Am gaining some weight I think! I hope it's only imaginary though!

Last Sunday I went bicycle riding with Gracie Odahara and her colored girl friend. We got down there by Stoner and Olympic. They built some kind of a war plant there. Then we went on and on. I thought I would like to buy a bike so I went to that place with them!

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Since these people had company, we did not bother them. We got near Douglas after that! It has changed quite a bit. They painted the hanger khaki and made the road side by Centinela look just like a hill.

When we were on our way back, we saw that they moved the Drive In Theatre to Olympic and Burdy. After the ride I made supper and did the dishes.

About 8:00 that night a gang of kids came from the Methodist Church. They all wanted me to go today. I didn't go, though!

Thursday, we had a good supper of steak, combination of vegetables and dessert. After we ate we were surprised to have company. They were Miyo and Aya Nishi, Harry Nakada and another girl. Gee! How good it was to see them!

Tuessday night I went to play volley ball at the playground with Lily Odahara & the colored girl! It was a game full of nonsense but it was fun!

When I got home at 10:00 mom told me to never go out in the night, as it is very dangerous. She had just been over to Nishizawa sans! I mean mama was. He told her he was sort of involved in a little incident. His car got stuck & the gang of Mexicans came and said, "are you a Jap?" He said "Yes I am Japanese" They all took turns and started yelling "You Jap."

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One even brought out a pistol. You probably can imagine how terrorizing it was to Mr. Nishizawa & also to mama. This incident happened in the daytime, too!

Today, Odahara san to Mr. Kitagawa, Yoneko, Mrs. Odahara & I for a joy ride. We went all around. I saw Venice High! It's still the same. I also saw Uni Hi! I saw Jake sans place, too. It's really a dump! The house is exactly like a barn! They have 4 glass houses!

We saw the beach and all of the people swimming out there! Quite a few sailors out there! More people than before evacuation. I saw Takemuras place. There is no flower shop. It is all a field except for the house. There is no pottery to sell next door either.

I enjoyed going for a ride very much. Yone just came back from Freeport, Ill., The Kitagawas are going to Minneapolis since they can't come home. All of the homes from Sepulveda to Beloit are going to be cleared and there the gov't is making a high way from Ohio to Pico! Gee, that too bad for those people! The Army is going to buy all of the homes!!!!

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I have seen practically all of our old neighbors. Teresa is very cheap! Is working at the Paramount Studios as a usherette. Smokes, gals steady with a guy 6'3" & only 16. Donald Hastings smokes cigarettes and a pipe! Miss Hastings married again. Carmen got a divorce. Sad little neighborhood!! Mr. & Mrs. Clavelot were the same old good people! Mrs. Clavelot was so glad to see me that she hugged me & kissed me. I saw Josie Fajardo but I haven't seen the rest of the family! I saw Tony Olbanese get off of a taxi but I haven't talked to him yet! He lives where Betty Anne Larson used to live! I saw Dori Heikkida. She's a nice girl and really is someone to keep as a good true friend. Donald Heikkida is in the Navy & is over in the South Pacific.

Well, Please don't forget to write me real soon.

Goodbye --

Mas

P.S. If you can get a chance to get home before you get to Ft. Snelling, please come home, we're eagerly waiting to see you!