After supper, half a dozen of Mama’s friends dropped in for their monthly get-together. They’re so predictable. In spring and summer they practise flower arranging with flowers they bring from their gardens. In winter, they work on their sewing or knitting. And they gossip year round!
Papa was at his club tonight, Tad and Mike played tennis with friends, and Kay and Emma went to a movie. But I always stay in on these nights. My job is to keep Harry occupied and put him to bed at 8:30. At the end of the evening, I make green tea and serve it to the ladies before they go home.
Aunt Eiko came tonight too. She was pleased to hear how much I enjoyed my birthday book from her. I’m still reading A Sister to Evangeline.
Sunday, June 15
Ever since Tad said he wanted to join the army, I’ve been trying to understand his reasons and why it’s so difficult for him to enlist. Now that exams are over, I asked Tad if he could tell me more. He gave me a bunch of clippings he’s been saving from the New Canadian. Even though it’s meant for Japanese Canadians, it’s all in English, so I can read it. Not like the paper where Mama works, which only has a small English section. I guess that’s what the Issei who’ve been here in Vancouver a long time want. I actually prefer reading the New Canadian over the English section of Mama’s paper. It’s much easier for us Nisei. I can write that here, but I wouldn’t dare mention it in front of Mama!
I can’t read Japanese at all. Mama, Papa and Geechan can, but not me. Mama might be disappointed, but I was SO glad to quit Japanese school after Grade Four. It was really hard spending the day at regular school and then going to Alexander Street for more classes in Japanese, instead of playing grass hockey or going to Girl Guides. Lucky Harry is the only one who’s never gone to Japanese school. I guess Mama and Papa gave up after all the grumbling from the rest of us.
I’ll read those articles Tad gave me later. I’m going out now to play tennis with the gang!
Tuesday, June 17
Tonight was our second-last Guide meeting before the summer break. Maggie, Sachi, Ellen and I walked over together. We were in our uniforms as usual, and Tad came home just as we were leaving. He joked, “Well, if it isn’t the Three Musketeers and D’Artagnan!” Big brothers can be just as annoying as little ones! But then clever Maggie replied, “You’re right Tad, we’re all for one and one for all!”
The four of us love being Guides. Our company has girls from different parts of the city, so we meet new people and learn lots of interesting and useful things such as first aid or how to use a compass. And we play all sorts of games including an unusual one where we sit in a circle on the floor with our feet outstretched and pass a tennis ball from girl to girl, without using our hands. Our leaders say it teaches us co-operation, but we just find it makes us laugh!
Tonight we spent most of the time discussing the arrangements for Guide Camp later this summer. I can hardly wait!
Friday, June 20
Last grass hockey game of the year and our team won again. I scored two goals! My friends call me the best left-winger in the east end, which is very nice of them. I think Maggie and Ellen are the best fullbacks, and Sachi the best halfback!
Papa brought home treats from Cowan’s tonight — Neilson’s Burnt Almond chocolate bars. There was one for each of us, even Geechan. Harry says Papa has the best job in the world! I’m saving mine to share tomorrow with Maggie and the gang. I suppose silly Tad is right calling us Musketeers — we are all for one and one for all!
I’ve started reading those articles he gave me. They’re so discouraging. Tad’s going to have a hard time joining up, in spite of his good intentions. Every Japanese Canadian from B.C. who tried to enlist has failed so far. Emma’s right — Tad has an uphill battle. But I’m proud of him for trying.
Saturday, June 21
Kay was fixing her hair this morning and asked me if the Lions were out. I rolled up the shade and could see the two North Shore mountains as clear as a bell. It’s a pain sharing a bedroom with my sisters, but we do have the best view in fine weather.
Today was the first day of summer. To celebrate, the gang and I went to the Crystal Dairy Ice Cream Parlour. When we ordered our Double-Deckers, Len gave us all extra-large helpings as usual — guess it helps that he’s Maggie’s big brother. I don’t even mind that he calls me Button Beak because of my short nose, but Maggie hates it when he calls her Eagle Beak because of her long one!
Sunday, June 22
After church I helped Geechan in our vegetable garden — all those rows of snow peas, green beans, cucumbers, eggplant and radishes. You’d think he’d be tired of being a gardener for rich hakujin families all those years, until Papa told him he was getting too old for that kind of hard work. But we all know Geechan still loves gardening. These days he only helps a few nearby families, like Sachi’s just down the street and the Youngs over on Triumph. It saves him long streetcar rides and a lot of walking!
Our yards here at home are beautiful, thanks to Geechan. I can’t decide whether I like the roses and flowering shrubs out front best, or the cherry and apple trees in the back. He and I weeded, then thinned out the rows of vegetables. At least it was Sunday, so there were no milk deliveries and I didn’t have to help collect horse droppings!
Tuesday, June 24
Tonight was our last Guide meeting before we break for the summer. It will be different for me because of my job — I can’t wait to head out to Surrey to pick berries and make enough money for that new bicycle.
I’ll miss my friends and seeing the usual girls from Guides, but it won’t be long before we all leave for camp together. Miss McLeod gave us instructions for how to get there and a list of things we’ll need to pack. We said our pledge and sang the Guide song one last time until we rendezvous at Wilson Creek in August. I’m writing this down quickly because I’m off to play tennis with the girls next!
Wednesday, June 25
This afternoon was so warm that our gang went swimming after school in the harbour down by Commissioner Street. Confession, diary: If our mothers found out, we’d be in big trouble for being around the log booms! But it felt so good to get wet and cool off.
Forgot to mention that last Sunday afternoon the girls and I saw ’Til We Meet Again with Kay and Emma. Kay was right — it was a real tearjerker! It’s a good thing I brought loads of tissues. Two lovers meet on a ship. They’re both doomed to die but neither knows the other’s fate. It’s a ridiculous story but we all enjoyed it, in spite of the crying we did!
Thursday, June 26
Last day of school tomorrow — hurray! We girls all went to Crystal Dairy after school this afternoon because tomorrow there’ll be a lineup a mile long!
I finally finished A Sister to Evangeline. It’s so sad how the Acadians were forced to leave their homes and go into exile. At least the love story ended happily and Paul the soldier didn’t get killed!
Friday, June 27
School’s over! Papa and Mama are so proud that I made the Grade Seven honour roll. Maybe Kay will stop calling me a tomboy now! She passed all her exams and graduated from Britannia High. Tonight she’s out celebrating with friends, but next week she starts dressmaking school. Mama thinks Kay will get more work with an official certificate.
Emma had the best marks of us all and was tops in her class. She’s found a summer job at a factory packaging dried fruit, but is going back to Britannia for two more years to become a nurse.
I’ve no idea what I’ll do when I finish school. My sisters still joke that I should become a hairdresser, seeing how neatly I trimmed the glass beads off the Tiffany lamp in the living room. Maybe I did, but I was only seven!
So now everyone except Harry will help support the family. And I’ll do my part by earning money for my bicycle!
Saturday, June 28
I’ve packed my suitcase already, because after church tomorrow Tad’s driving me out to Surrey. I’m so excited! I’m staying with Mama’s friends the Nakagawas on their berry farm. I must ask
Mama to thank Gladys Nakagawa again for getting me the job next time Mama sees her at the newspaper.
I said goodbye to Maggie and the girls this afternoon. I’m a bit nervous because I’ve never slept anywhere else but here in good old Oxford Street. I don’t want my parents to change their minds, so it’s good having this diary to write down my thoughts and feelings. Rags knows I’m going away — he licked my face twice tonight. But while I was packing, Harry was fooling around with my new barrettes and broke one. I’m glad to get away from him for a while! He’s such a yancha-bōzu.
Monday, July 7
I’ve been in Surrey over a week and I’m getting so tanned! I should have written here sooner, but I’m so tired at night, I just fall into bed and am sound asleep. Then I’m up early for another long day picking berries with the other people who come here to help. No days off, not even on Sundays, although some pickers take time off to go to church. I didn’t go with them because they’re Anglicans. I’ll have to remember to say I’ve missed mass the next time I go to confession!
There are quite a few workers, some as old as Geechan. On weekends when she’s not working at the Tairiku, Gladys helps pick too. Her three older brothers help Mr. Nakagawa load berries into their trucks every evening and deliver them to nearby markets. Mas, Ben and Joseph also do all the weeding and cultivating. Running a farm is hard work!
The first day Mrs. Nakagawa showed me how to pull strawberries off the plants quickly without squashing them. They smell so good, I can’t help eating some as I pick. Whenever Mrs. Nakagawa’s not picking berries herself, she cooks the meals for everyone.
Gladys — she must be around Kay’s age — helps her mother with the cooking on weekends. I help by setting the table with bowls, plates and ohashi. Our meals are always Japanese — onigiri and vegetables at lunch, and okazu and pickles at supper. I miss Canadian food! We have toast at breakfast, though, with Mrs. Nakagawa’s delicious strawberry jam. I’m exhausted at the end of the day but I don’t mind. I always fall asleep smelling and dreaming of strawberries.
Sunday, July 20
The strawberries are finished now and we’ve switched to raspberries. They’re harder to pick because of the prickly bushes!
Today I overheard Gladys talking to her mother about registration. She’d brought a recent copy of the newspaper home, so I glanced through the English section. The Mounties are speeding up special registration of Japanese Canadians in B.C. My family registered back in April, but the Nakagawas have been too busy with the farm. Registration is mandatory now, so they’ll have to find time to go to Vancouver somehow.
Working hard every day means I haven’t had time to miss my family or Rags. I wonder if they miss me. Everyone here has been really nice. Gladys says that she enjoys having me around because she doesn’t have any sisters. I like her a lot because she’s more like Emma than Kay — she’s not obsessed with clothes, hairstyles and movie stars!
Saturday, July 26
Tadaima! I’m home. It’s good to be back. I really missed everyone — even Harry. He’s not that annoying when I haven’t seen him for a while. And Rags was so glad to see me, he ran around in circles!
This afternoon Mrs. Nakagawa handed me my earnings in an envelope to give to my parents. When Tad came to get me, she also gave me a big bowl of raspberries wrapped up in a tea-towel furoshiki. When we got home, Papa went straight to Crystal Dairy and came back with ice cream to eat with the berries — so good!
I have the BEST parents. Mama and Papa bought my bicycle before I came home, in case someone else bought it before I could. It’s the exact one I’d seen before in the Matsui brothers’ bicycle shop — red with chrome fenders. I love it! Maggie’s had a bike longer than me but hers is second-hand. After supper, she and I went riding all around Hastings Park and the Exhibition grounds. It won’t be long before the fair opens again. I’d better go to bed now — I’m pooped!
Sunday, July 27
I love my bicycle! I really broke it in today. It’s too bad Sachi and Ellen don’t have bikes. Maggie and I rode all the way out to Lions Gate Bridge and back. We left early and took sandwiches. We got to the park just before noon, cycled to Second Beach and ate our lunch overlooking the water. Then we rode to Prospect Point and all the way up to Lions Gate Bridge. The mountains are wonderful when you’re so close!
Geechan gave me a present yesterday to welcome me home. He made a little cage from thin strips of wood and there’s a cricket inside! I’ve put it near the window, but Geechan said to keep it out of the sun or the cricket will die from the heat. I make sure it has food and water by putting a piece of wet lettuce inside the cage each day. I love hearing it chirp and sing but Kay and Emma think it’s disgusting!
Monday, July 28
Got up before anyone else was awake to play tennis with the gang. I dressed quickly and crept out of the house. Sachi was waiting for me out front, then we ran to Pandora Park and met Maggie and Ellen there. The courts were empty because it was so early and Sachi kindly let us each try the new racquet she got for her birthday. We finally stopped playing because we were hungry and it was getting hot.
When I got home, Mama was busy sewing, so I made myself breakfast. We must have just had a milk delivery because there were three fresh bottles in the fridge. I used the cream floating on top of one to eat the last of the raspberries. Delicious!
Now I must make sure that I have everything on my list for Guide Camp. A Guide has to be prepared!
Tuesday, August 5
Guide Camp tomorrow! The weather has been good this week — hope it holds. Mama ironed my uniform and tie, so I’m packed and ready. Our company meets at the church early tomorrow morning with all our gear.
I’ll be gone twelve days and can’t wait to meet up with everyone. I put my bicycle in the garage and told Harry not to touch it! It’s too bad I only had a short time to use it, but I’ll be riding as soon as I’m back. Geechan said he’d look after my cricket. I’m not taking my diary with me because I bet anything I won’t have time to write — I’ll be too busy having fun!
Sunday, August 17
Back from Guide Camp! Only Mama, Emma and Rags were home when I returned this afternoon. Everyone else was at the Powell Grounds watching baseball. Rags was so excited to see me, he put his paws on my shirt. But since I was pretty grubby already, it didn’t matter!
Am I glad to have indoor plumbing again. The first thing I did was to have a bath, Japanese style. I scrubbed off all the dirt and grime using a washcloth. Then I washed my hair in the basin before having a long soak in the tub. So much better than showering at camp! By the time I was done, everybody was back and cheerful because the Asahi won again.
It’s good being home even though I had a ball at camp. I had so much to tell everyone, I didn’t know where to start. Emma suggested I write it down and then I remembered my diary! I never did have time to write, so I’m glad I didn’t bring it. But now I want to put down everything before I forget!
The day we left seems so long ago. But I’ll always remember how the trip started — while I was on deck on the ferry, a seagull pooped on my tie! That challenged me to smile under difficulty like the Guide law says, but Sachi was a good sport and helped me clean up, so eventually I laughed with everyone else.
Then I was taken aback when I saw the tents at the campsite. I’d never slept outside before, so I thought of what Dorothy says in The Wizard of Oz — “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” But once we unpacked our things, I forgot my worries! Maggie and I shared the same tent with two other nice girls from our patrol, and Sachi and Ellen were right next door.
We ate lunch, then walked to the ocean and went swimming. Then we went bird watching and Maggie spotted a huge bald eagle on top of a dead pine tree! At supper each patrol had a specific chore, such as peeling vegetables, setting tables, clearing up or washing the dishes. We rotated chores so no one could complain. The worst camp inconvenience was having to use outhouses!
We had a bonfire every nigh
t, roasted marshmallows and sang until bedtime. My favourite songs were “Fire’s Burning,” “Home on the Range” and “Cockles and Mussels.” We always ended with the Guide song.
Can’t write any more — I’m out of practice and so tired. I’ll finish tomorrow!
Monday, August 18
Slept in and woke up starving. I ate three pieces of toast and jam for breakfast! Geechan returned my cricket safe and sound. Now I can finish writing about camp.
After the bonfire we’d head to bed with our flashlights. I don’t know about other tents, but in ours we talked for ages before we’d fall asleep! In the morning we washed with creek water, then gulped down our porridge to be ready for the day’s activities. Each day one of the leaders gave a talk, then we hiked in the woods nearby or went swimming. We’d play tag or have sack races. We also learned some practical things about surviving in the wilderness, like how to start a fire without matches or how to signal if we’re lost. I can’t imagine ever using them here in Vancouver!
We even learned about finding food in the woods — it’s called foraging. Miss Alston taught us about collecting fiddleheads (unopened ferns) in spring. In summer we can find wild berries. And in fall there are mushrooms, but we’d have to be careful because many kinds are poisonous. Afterwards we picked blackberries from the hedgerows. I collected the most in the fastest time because of picking raspberries at the Nakagawas’ farm!
Torn Apart Page 2
