<Begin Segment 3>

TI: So I now want to kind of just talk a little bit about Gardena when you were growing up. What are some memories that you have of Gardena when you were growing up?

TO: Well, we had that tofu plant, and on the back of it was a wide area where we used to play baseball, I remember that. Really a tomboy, used to climb trees. [Laughs]

TI: So was that unusual, for women to play baseball?

TO: No, not exactly. Neighbor's kids... not all, but a few girls were playing.

TI: And when you say baseball, so it was hardball?

TO: No, it was one of these... what do you call those?

TI: Softball?

TO: Softball, yes.

TI: So it was a bigger one that they pitched underhand?

TO: Uh-huh, that's right.

TI: Okay, so baseball, you said you climbed trees, what are some other things that you did?

TO: Well, let's see. We used to walk to school, I remember, in elementary school. And in high school, Gardena High School, I started driving at fourteen so they gave me permission to drive, special. So I drove and gathered all the neighbor's kids, about five of us.

TI: Wow, that's interesting. So at fourteen, they would trust you to drive...

TO: Just to go to school.

TI: To go to school, but to also drive the other kids in the...

TO: Yeah. I don't know if that was permissible, but we did it. I mean, I did it.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.