<Begin Segment 16>

MK: Do you have anything special that you would like your children to remember when you look back on your life? Anything special?

RM: I don't expect them to remember anything. They are free to do what they want to do, and I'm grateful to see that they are happy and taking such good care of me. We went through some hardships to raise them all, but they are all such good kids. [Laughs] It might be funny to see me praising my own children, but I have nothing to worry about. I am so grateful.

MK: It has been a very good life.

RM: Yes, I think it is.

MK: When did your husband pass away?

RM: Well, how many years has it been?

MK: Was it a long time ago?

RM: 1960 something...

MK: 1966.

RM: It was in 1966, yes.

MK: Was he sick?

RM: He had what now we call cancer. He spent a whole month in a hospital. He wasn't getting better though, and he just stayed there. They don't keep patients for such a long time anymore. In those days, they took very good care of him. Well, maybe they were nice to him only when I was there. He said he was not enjoying staying there, so maybe it wasn't that good.

MK: Are you keeping a diary?

RM: We all threw away what we had kept when the war started. Stupid, wasn't it? All the things Japanese people kept were thrown away. How foolish.

MK: Did you write about your life in the camp during the war?

RM: Not really. I wish I had brought a lot of pencils and other things. We thought we might be killed and didn't take anything that we would not need. We realized that we would need those when we got there. We were able to buy some items at a kiosk later, but we just had to use what we had at the beginning.

MK: Are you writing Japanese poems?

RM: [Laughs] I'm not good at it. But it gives me joy in life and the strength to go on. I am not improving at all, but Ms. Saito was a great instructor.

MK: Hisako.

RM: Yes, it was Hisako. She was such a nice lady.

MK: I know her very well.

RM: Oh, you do. Such a nice lady.

MK: Do you have notebooks to keep your poems?

RM: No, I don't. [Laughs] I might have, but I don't. I know it is a good idea to keep those.

MK: Are you writing in a diary today?

RM: I am not keeping a diary anymore. I forget the dates though. I keep track of dates by writing it down, and I also write about some special events if any, and temperature. I get confused about the date, and I need to write it down to keep track. Not a diary, if someone gives me a notebook, I could keep it for three days. [Laughs] Blank pages for the rest. I am just keeping track of the date.

MK: Are you still writing to our elder and younger sisters in Japan?

RM: I rarely do. My niece writes to me pretty often. My siblings, my sister writes me too sometimes. She is old too, and she writes me once or twice a year. That's all.

MK: Thank you very much for sharing your stories today.

RM: It was nothing. I am sorry that it was just a boring talk.

MK: You have lived to one hundred and one.

RM: Yes.

MK: That is impressive.

RM: It is long enough. My eyes get tired and teary when I read for a long time, and I have to go to see a doctor. I am saying that I should just let it go. But I am still around. [Laughs]

MK: It is great to see you doing so well.

RM: Probably because I am very optimistic.

MK: Thank you very much.

<End Segment 16> - Copyright © 2003 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.