Densho Digital Archive - Jun Ogimachi Interview (denshovh-ojun-01-0011)

<Begin Segment 11>

RP: Talking a little more about the block, Block 15, do you remember any gardens in the block or any flowers grown there?

JO: Well, the people in between the barracks had lawns and some of the gardens and things. In the middle there, they had a big basketball court they put in. Between Block -- I think it was 7 -- and the rec. hall they had a big garden in there. It's nothing like the ones they made out in the firebreak. They had those big water and all that, but then they, but people from all over were helping with that one. Well, these in the block, the people within the block were just doing them. They just, I guess something to do.

RP: Do you remember, you mentioned the garden between Building 7 and the rec. hall.

JO: Yeah.

RP: Do you have any other memories about what was there? Was there a few, was there a pond?

JO: No, they didn't have a pond. It was strictly a garden like thing and they had different kind... they had some big plants in there and all that. In time they grow big, so like that. But I don't recall them having a pond there.

RP: Was there any concrete work?

JO: Not that I recall.

RP: Rocks?

JO: Yeah, there was rocks, a few rocks.

RP: What did you have around your barrack? Did you have any landscaping?

JO: Well, we just had the lawn. The kids that I mentioned before and I were trying to dig a cave underneath a building. But there were so many scorpions we quit.

RP: Tried to dig a cave.

JO: Well, you know, only just... because the way it was, on the one end was pretty close to the ground. The other end they had to build it up because it was sort of slanted there. We were gonna make our own little clubhouse down there. We gave it up. Too many bugs, scorpions.

RP: Do you recall people who had cellars underneath their barracks?

JO: I think there were some, but not... I don't remember there being that many. So, you know... some places it was feasible and other places it's not feasible. It depends on where it was.

RP: So other than the basketball court and the weight lifting area, was there any other recreational...

JO: Golf. Up there, I don't know if you heard about where that one pilot came down with the plane and the wing folded. I was lookin' out the window and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I thought it was a model airplane comin' down. 'Cause the people used to fly the model airplanes down there in the firebreak. But up there on the top side by the cemetery, this guy from Pasadena, he took me out there and that's the first time I got introduced to golf. He was, it was all dirt and all that. We were hittin' golf balls out there, I couldn't believe it. Now I think about it, hey, that might have been, that's why when I went -- I didn't play for thirty years or something -- I went back and the guy I took group lessons from, he said, "You must have played golf or something before." I said, "Well, I did when I was a kid." But they... I played two or three times there. There wasn't that many holes. If somebody gets, levels a place for golf and we'd hit the ball over to it. He was pretty good, but I learned a lot of the basics from him.

RP: Do you remember his name?

JO: No, I don't. I don't... I'm terrible at names.

RP: Did he live in your block or how did you meet up with him?

JO: I don't remember whether he lived in my block or not. He might have, but I don't know. Anyway, we had to walk up there anyway so you know. Because it was well above Block 18 there. Block 12 and 18 are up on top. You play over there. They used to play to over to where that George's Creek is. That's where the fence was. But you know, there really was nothing there. And, other than that, I don't know of any other, other than the Vanguards where I played football with.