Title: Letter to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi, 8/14/1943 (ddr-janm-1-106)

Densho ID: ddr-janm-1-106

August 14, 1943

Dearest Molly,

Well, here I finally be! So sorry that I haven’t answered your letter sooner than this, but I’m a busy gal goin’ to school (summer) and all!

How you be, kiddo? Hope looking like a luscious cake! Me, –I’m still the healthy (?), good (??), on time (???) girl! Oh, say, heard that Kenny came home on furlough. Gosh, how marvelous! Tell him we all said “hello”! Is he still around. Gee, “shore” would like to see him in his uniform! Pretty slick, right? (Don’t tell him that because he might get a “gourd” head, if you catch what I mean!) Well, anyway, the only thing that counts is that he came home! How does he say the N.Y. girls compare with…

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…L.A. girls? Bet all he talks about are the dizzy-blondes & red-heads, right? Just like him to!

How’s your work? Enjoying it, I hope! What defense plant are you working at now? Bet L.A. is just buzzing with defense workers, right? Here—no chance of working for at least a year more for me! I graduate (I hope) next summer! Hot ziggity! Our sweaters are to be navy blue & powder blue. It’s to be coat-style & I’m ordering mine for a 25” length! Really jimper tip. Some gals want theirs so long that the teacher asks them do they want a bathrobe – a housecoat! Pachucoo, I guess! Our summer prom is next week & sad…

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…case, I don’t think I’ll go! All my girl friends aren’t going so I decided not to either. If I do go, I’ll tell you all that happens. We voted for our queen & I think I know who got it, too! She’s a real, good-lookin’ gal from L.A. plus personality! Remember Umiko Kodama? I think she’s one of the six attendants & Pee Wee Hasegawa too! Man, really knock-outs! Rosie Maruki ran for, but I don’t know whether she got to be one of the attendants or not! Man, really a stiff competition!

How’s the old neighborhood? Has it changed any? Mickey & Nattie sill around? Still rowdy I bet, huhn? Tell ‘em “hello”!

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…Tell me the old and new news that’s buzzin’ in that direction!

Say, saw John Payne here in camp & man—what a peach of a guy! He’s tall & wow—what a physique! He has light, brown hair & greenish,-blue eyes! Oh—boy! Got his autograph, too! Every time I’m somewheres in the dump, I look at it & ah—what a sensation I swear he’s the “it” I was so excited that I got a bloody nose –fragile, ain’t I? (No!!) John Payne’s supposed to be stationed at the Manzanar airport aerosn from our camp, & every time we see an airplane flyin’ around we say there goes John Payne! Just like kids, I know!

Saw “It Ain’t Hay” with Abbot…

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…& Castillo & man, am I tired of their pictures! Castillo acts too stupid sometimes that it grips me & last night really did it! Aside from that, I enjoyed the picture. Besides that picture they showed a short with Ozzie Nelson & Co. & Helen Parrish. It must have been a U. A. O. Picture borrowed from the army camp here. That “short” was cute, music all the way! Gee, didn’t know that Helen Parrish could sing! She’s good too! Next week we see a Charlie Chan picture, The Plainsman & Orchestra, Wife or Wives! Can’t wait, as moving picture is about the only entertainment offered here, everyone looks forward to them, anyway I do…

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…Oh, our class is to have an annual next year when we graduate, so when it comes out I’ll send you it to sign okay?

Well, Molly, nothin’ in the beam right now so I’ll close here—until a later time—

Love,

Chiyeko

P.S. Give my best regards to your parents & say “hello” to Doris

So long—

P.S. I’m going to use your name as a reference for leave clearance, okay? We’re supposed to write names of 5 friends, so I’ll use your name as one of my references.