Densho Digital Archive - Ann Sugimoto Interview (denshovh-sann-01-0023)

<Begin Segment 23>

RP: What do you recall about the riot?

AS: Oh, well, we were smart. We didn't go down like everybody else. They said there was a riot, but a lot of the people drove up. We said no, we just stayed, we were smart. We didn't go up to all that stuff. And that little kid was shot and all that stuff. But, no, we stayed away. That was a sad thing. But I don't know. They... push, push, push, you know. So we said we're not going down there. Why should the whole camp be down there, ten thousand? No, everything, everything was okay. Camp life was... well, it was nice for a lot of these farmers. It was time for them to take a vacation, out there in Manzanar. [Laughs] Of course, like my husband kept going out because... but it was pretty nice, except a few, they call the "no-no boys." You heard about them. But no, I didn't know any of those "no-no boys," but you know how they get carried off. They're kind of in between.

RP: Did you have any relations with the Terminal Island people?

AS: Well, they were the next block down from us.

RP: Block 9?

AS: Yeah, way down there. They were okay. I got to know... I remember the dentist there. He was a, he was a Terminal Island fellow. I got my molars pulled out, but... yeah, it's funny. The ones that were in between, like, any, even the Terminal Island, I guess it was really hard because we'd go down to the -- they had canteen -- and it was really sad because, you know how hot it is in Manzanar, and the kids would like to go down and have pops. And we'd go down there and these kids whose parents are just held, you know... and so the mothers left with the kids and all, and they'd be hanging around, and they'd see the other kids, you know, drinking and... that was kind of sad. Because they were pulled out... well the, what's the trouble is they pulled the husbands away and the mothers were left with the kids. And I don't know whether their bank accounts were closed or not, and so here they were left without -- so the Japanese groups, they tried to help them, get them to places to stay and help them financially. That was really the hard thing, I understand. Yeah, I knew the dentist. He was a Terminal Island fellow.

RP: Do you remember his name?

AS: Oh gosh, what was his name?

RP: Was it Kikuchi?

AS: No, no, another one. I remember because he pulled my first, my fourth, four wisdom tooth out for me. I had to get it pulled out. What's his name? He was really nice. At least I got my four wisdom tooth pulled out in the camp. What was his... Nakauchi? No... I don't, I forgot his name, but if you mention it I would know. But I know this... couple of Terminal Island people. This gal that worked with my sister and the -- Nanauchi or something -- she worked in the lab with my sister. She was a Terminal Island girl. Yeah, a lot of us... but I know a lot of them were in between. It's really hard because I guess their fathers were taken away and, and stuff like that. But kids -- it was hard. It was hard to the family. Imagine left with three or four kids and your husband not there, especially like Terminal Island, so it was really hard. People trying to help them, but it turned out okay. I guess they were kind of glad to go to camp, at least have a roof over their head. And a lot of it, and their education goes on.