<Begin Segment 27>

RP: What did you end up doing as a, as work or a career?

SI: Well, we came over here. See, I was one of the very few people that knew how to draw a map. So that's when I... in fact, there's the thing, the thing was I went to look for a job. There was an ad in the paper where there was a... oh, I went to a, one of these place where they tell you where to go look for a job. I went over there and instead of going to this door here, I went to this door. And so I found a job where there was a mapping company. The other place was the mechanical drawing place. And I took that in high school so... anyway, I went in this door which was the wrong door and the guy says, "What can you do? You draw maps?" I said, "Yeah, I draw map." Okay, right away they want me to work that day because there was no guy, nobody knew how to draw. It was a mapping company, Pacific Air Industry, I still remember that name. Anyway, so anyway that company that, that send me to that building want part of my paycheck. I said, what for, what? I didn't even go to the place you sent me. Anyway, so they said, well, I guess that's why they let me go. But, that's when I started working for them. I worked there for about twelve years. And it was a private company and I says, there was no future for me there, right? So, I told myself, well, my sister was in, in nursery business. So I went in there. And I says, well... she wanted a flower shop. So I went to my friend's place, they had a flower shop. And I went there for eight month, every weekend, and learned how to make corsages and funeral wreaths, wedding bouquets and so then I opened up a flower shop over there, here in Orange. I did that for what, twenty years, I guess.

RP: And then you retired?

SI: Well, not really. Then, no, then we... actually, we were on a leased land and the lady won't renew our lease. So we close our shop and then me and my wife went to -- this is my second wife now -- we went to Huntington Beach and opened up a flower shop over there. So that's where... we did that for, I guess, ten years, I guess. And then she was tired of that so we retired from there.

RP: Just one more question, Cabbie, about when you came out of camp, was there any, anybody that offered any help or assistance or volunteered to help you when you...

SI: Like what?

RP: You made mention of a volunteer from Los Angeles who helped you after you came out of camp.

SI: No.

RP: No?

SI: No, nothing. We were on our own. You either look for a job and make a living or what. So...

RP: Okay. Anything else you'd like to add, Cabbie, before we conclude?

SI: Well, nothing I can think of. The thing that... I don't know. It was, it was an interesting life for myself actually. But, I still can't retire completely because I live on my social security, so I work a little bit to increase my income. I mean, I could retire if I wanted to, but hey, what can I do? Then I can just stay home and watch TV? No.

RP: Well, thank you so much for allowing us to interview you today.

SI: Hey, no problem.

RP: On behalf of myself and Kirk and the National Park Service, we really appreciate your stories and memories.

SI: Good.

<End Segment 27> - Copyright © 2009 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.