Torn Apart

by Susan Aihoshi

  I took loads of pictures with my camera and can’t wait until they’re developed.

  Tuesday, August 19

  Tad, Mike and Papa were talking today in low voices. Kay and Emma were speaking quietly too and I recognized the phrase “registration card.”

  They must have been discussing what I’d seen in the papers — Japanese Canadians over the age of sixteen must now carry their registration cards at all times. The cards have people’s photos and signatures on the front, and thumbprints and occupations on the back. They even list any “marks of identification.” Mama’s card reads, “small mole on right cheek.” It’s almost as if we are criminals!

  Kay finished dressmaking school last week. After Labour Day she’ll work at Maikawa’s department store, doing alterations. Mama’s really happy that she found a job so quickly.

  I’m back riding again! Maggie and I rode all over the east end today. When we got tired we let Ellen and Sachi use our bikes. School starts soon, so we’ve got to make the most of our summer holiday while it lasts!

  Monday, August 25

  Went to Hastings Park this morning. Spent the whole day at the Exhibition until Harry got sick! Emma took the day off, so she, Kay, Harry and I got up early and walked to the park right after breakfast. Maggie and Ida joined us. We wanted to get there as soon as the fair opened. Papa gave us a whole dollar to spend!

  First we went to the midway and tried to decide which rides to go on. Harry and Ida rode the carousel but Kay and Emma went on the Giant Dipper. Maggie and I wanted to go on the roller coaster too, but I wasn’t tall enough. We took Harry and Ida on the ferris wheel instead and then to the Haunted House.

  We had hot dogs for lunch and Harry ate cotton candy for dessert. Then we walked around the buildings and Harry munched on popcorn. I liked seeing the horses and cows, but Harry’s and Ida’s favourite was the Pure Foods building with free samples. He must have eaten too many, though, because when Emma suggested we get ice cream for a treat, Harry didn’t want any!

  The rest of us ate our cones but Harry rushed off to the restroom. When he came back he looked green, and my sisters quickly took him home. Maggie, Ida and I walked around a bit longer but Ida was tired, so we went home too. I was in time for supper but Harry was already in bed!

  Tuesday, August 26

  Harry’s fine today. He says next time we visit the Ex he won’t eat so many free samples!

  Labour Day, Monday, September 1

  Our entire family watched the Pacific Northwest baseball finals today, even Mama. There was a double-header so we brought a bentō. The Powell Grounds were crowded but what an exciting atmosphere!

  The Asahi played the Fife team from Washington. Each side has Japanese players but we all cheered for the Asahi because they’re Canadians. Kaz Suga pitched both games — he’s the best! We won twice and are champions for the fifth year in a row! Tad and Mike were over the moon and headed off to celebrate. The rest of us went home in a packed streetcar. When they got home later, Tad said he and Mike actually met some Asahi players in the New Pier Café! I took my camera to the game and used up the film, so now I can get it developed.

  Kay starts at Maikawa’s tomorrow and school starts too. Can’t wait!

  Tuesday, September 2

  Back for my second year at Templeton. I’ve signed up for grass hockey and track and field again. The girls talked me into joining the school choir too, because we had so much fun singing at camp. But I’m really disappointed they’re not in my class this year. Maggie and Sachi are together, but Ellen’s in a different class like me.

  There’s an obnoxious boy named Billy Foster in my homeroom. Today he

  Oh, I won’t even write about what a pain he is. Better just to ignore him.

  Wednesday, September 3

  Our first choir practice tonight after school. I really wish one of the gang was in my class this year. Maggie and Sachi have Mr. Bell and Ellen has Miss Wright, but I have Mrs. Prentice. She’s nice enough but hasn’t noticed Billy pestering me. I hope he gets moved to another class. I’m trying to smile under difficulty, but it’s hard!

  Thursday, September 4

  Grass hockey this year is on Thursdays. Thank goodness I’m with the gang again after class. I haven’t told them about Billy Foster yet — we were too busy practising yesterday, after having the summer off.

  I’m glad the weekend’s coming and there won’t be school. Maggie and I went for a long bike ride before supper tonight. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about my problem.

  Sunday, September 7

  I am NOT looking forward to school tomorrow. I know I should tell my friends about Billy Foster, but I don’t even know where to start.

  Monday, September 8

  On my way to Latin class this morning, a school monitor stopped Billy in the hall because he was going up the down staircase! If he’s found breaking student council rules again, he has to go to monitor court. I think he was following me, so I’m glad he was caught!

  Latin’s hard, but it helps being Catholic. Mass is all in Latin, so I know a few words already. Templeton’s motto is Pro Bono Omnium — for the good of all! I wish Billy understood that.

  Wednesday, September 10

  Papa brought home my photos today. The camp ones are great and the baseball ones turned out well too. I’ll add them to the album Geechan gave me last Christmas. It has quite a few pictures in it already. I’m waiting for a rainy evening to work on it — won’t be long now.

  Choir practice again tonight and Guide meetings start up again next week!

  Friday, September 12

  I LOATHE Billy Foster.

  Sunday, September 14

  On our way to tennis today, I broke down and asked Sachi if she ever got picked on at school because she’s Japanese. She didn’t answer at first, so I finally told her about Billy Foster. When Mrs. Prentice isn’t looking, he pulls his eyelids down and whispers, “Hey, chop suey!” I’m not even Chinese! He makes me so mad and I don’t know what to do. Then Sachi told me she’d been picked on at school every year until she came to Temp. I never knew! We hugged each other and Sachi said maybe I should tell Mrs. P. about Billy. And she said I could always count on her for moral support!

  Monday, September 15

  I’m glad I told Sachi about my problem. It hasn’t changed anything (Billy managed to make another face at me this morning) but I feel better knowing she’s on my side.

  At least we have our Guide meeting tomorrow night. It’s something to look forward to, which school definitely is NOT.

  Thursday, September 18

  Before anyone arrived this morning, I asked Mrs. Prentice if I could change desks. I said I couldn’t see the blackboard because the girl in front of me is too tall. Mrs. P. looked at me curiously and I blushed, but she told me she’d see what she could do.

  I’ll have to say I lied when I go to confession! Is it still a lie when you say something to get yourself out of a predicament?

  Monday, September 22

  I’ve changed seats with Gail Matthews! Her father is the manager at Crystal Dairy, so Billy wouldn’t dare tease her!

  What a relief. Sachi was so happy for me when I told her after school.

  Wednesday, September 24

  Choir practice again. It’s fun, but not as much as singing around a campfire! Or sharing my camp photos with the other Guides at our meeting last night. And B.F. seems to be leaving me alone now, thank goodness.

  Thursday, September 25

  Steady rain today, so hockey practice was cancelled. When I got home from school, my cricket was dead. I’ll bury it in the backyard tomorrow but I’m keeping the cage to use next summer. Harry’s come down with a cold and went to bed early.

  I put most of my photos in my album tonight after supper.

  Saturday, September 27

  Still raining last night and today. I’ve started reading Jane Eyre. I just hate how she’s being picked on because she’s an orphan!

  Tuesday, S
eptember 30

  Tad was excited today. A Japanese Canadian from B.C. has made it into the army! Tony Kato is from Duncan on the Island. Tad’s convinced it’s only a matter of time before more of us can enlist. He can’t stop talking about it. Mike hopes Tad is right.

  Friday, October 3

  Finished Jane Eyre. What an ending — sad and happy at the same time! That’s six books now towards my badge. I have to read a biography next but Maggie lent me Lassie Come-Home, so I started that tonight. Now Tad’s calling me a bookworm!

  Monday, October 6

  It’s hard avoiding the war when we’re at school. Everyone at Templeton is organized into groups for war work. Grade Eight and Nine girls are in the Junior Red Cross Club doing sewing, knitting and even weaving. The boys are in the Training Corps and learn about airplanes (how Harry would love that!), boats, navigation, wartime science and industry, maps, air-raid precaution, first aid and signalling. The boys get taught all the interesting stuff! At least we learn some of those things in Guides.

  The World Series is over. Tad and Mike are peeved that the Yankees beat the Dodgers again. They both say they always cheer for the underdog because of being Japanese Canadians in a hakujin world. I never thought of that!

  Wednesday, October 8

  Overcast and drizzly when I woke up. Couldn’t see the Lions this morning. Kay and Emma started arguing over which of them owned a certain blouse. I kept out of it! This dreary weather is making us all cranky.

  Choir again after school. We’re already practising carols for Templeton’s Christmas concert, even though it’s over two months away.

  Finished Lassie Come-Home. I’m so glad Lassie returned to her real home and was reunited with her master!

  Thanksgiving Monday, October 13

  Our big dinner was yesterday so Mama could spend today sewing. Papa went to work too, although just a half day and now he’s home reading the papers.

  The dining room table was crowded with Aunt Eiko here as well as our friends, the Hiranos. They’ve been coming to our holiday dinners ever since I can remember, so they’re just like part of the family.

  We used our good china and silverware, and Kay said grace before we had roast chicken, mashed potatoes, yams and the last green beans from our garden. Kay and Emma made two delicious pies from our own apples! I am very thankful for all my blessings.

  Wednesday, October 15

  I’m really discouraged again. Billy’s back pestering me, this time in the hallway when we leave homeroom. He waits until no teachers or monitors are around, then walks past me slowly and pulls his eyelids down. Why must he be so horrid?

  Thursday, October 16

  After grass hockey today, Maggie asked if anything was bothering me. She’s a good friend but it’s hard explaining to her how much I hate being picked on just because I’m Japanese. Sachi understands what it’s like, but I don’t feel like talking about it even to her!

  Saturday, October 18

  Can’t even read lately, I’m so upset about B.F. I’m writing my thoughts down here to see if it helps. I’ve been so miserable lately and can’t hide it — even Kay asked if I was feeling all right. I didn’t want to tell her about Billy, so I said the rainy weather was giving me a headache — another lie for confession!

  Wednesday, October 22

  Something happened today that made me forget my own troubles. Tad was really upset when he got home late tonight. He was returning from Seattle on another trip for Cowan’s when a Mountie stopped him, asked all sorts of questions and demanded his registration card. It’s a good thing Tad had it!

  Then the officer wanted to see the documentation for everything Tad picked up in Seattle. Tad had copies of all the orders, plus the bills, so the officer finally let him go. Tad tried hard not to show his feelings until he got home. He said he’d never win an argument with a hakujin, especially a Mountie. And he also said if he joined the army, he’d need to exert self-discipline.

  I just had an idea. Maybe that’s what I need to deal with Billy Foster! Self-discipline, I mean. I must try harder not to show Billy my real feelings. He makes me so angry, though, I want to do something — anything — to make him leave me alone.

  Thursday, October 23

  Today I found out how wonderful my best friends are. Maggie and Ellen asked Sachi yesterday if she knew what’s been bothering me lately, because they could see that I’ve been down in the dumps. So Sachi told them about Billy.

  They all decided they had to do something to help me. So the gang followed him in the hallway after lunch break today. He was concentrating so hard on catching me that he almost jumped when Maggie tapped him on the back. She said very smartly, “Billy Foster, it’s not very nice of you to pick on Mary.” Then Sachi came up in front of him and said, “Mary’s our friend and we don’t like you bothering her.” And finally Ellen said, “Billy, you may think Mary’s alone, but we’re all looking out for her!”

  My friends were so fearless. And Billy not only looked stunned, he turned beet red. I’m sure he was mortified at being put in his place by GIRLS! And just then, Mrs. Prentice and Mr. Bell came walking by. Mr. Bell asked Billy if he was thinking of joining the grass hockey team. Billy turned even redder.

  Friday, October 24

  Another Japanese Canadian has joined the army! Harry Tanaka enlisted with the Royal Engineers in Regina. Maybe Tad really has a chance of getting in. I’m not sure if I want that to happen or not.

  Grass hockey was cancelled yesterday. It’s been too wet to play. After supper I helped Harry write to the Province newspaper so he can join the Tillicum Club for kids. They send you a secret password and print your name in the paper on your birthday. We put the letter in an envelope but the flap wouldn’t stick. I asked Mama for some glue. She couldn’t find any, so she took two grains of leftover rice and squashed them between the flap and the envelope. That worked perfectly!

  Monday, October 27

  Today two divisions of the Canadian army left Vancouver for Hong Kong to defend it against Japan. One is from Winnipeg and the other from Quebec. I’m happy Danny Franklin isn’t with either!

  It’s good the army is helping Britain, but I’m worried that more people may be hurt or killed. I heard Papa telling Tad that he thinks Japan is too aggressive for its own good. I’m glad Papa doesn’t support Japan.

  Friday, October 31

  Maggie and I took Harry and Ida trick or treating tonight. Mama made Harry a ghost costume from an old tablecloth and Ida wore a blue gingham smock with a white blouse to be Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Maggie put Ida’s hair in pigtails and we took Rags along for Toto. He’s the wrong colour but the only dog available! It was so wet out that we didn’t visit many houses before calling it quits.

  Tuesday, November 4

  I haven’t written in here for a while because I found a really interesting book in the school library last week. It’s called A Daughter of the Samurai by Etsu Sugimoto. She was born in Japan, raised as a Buddhist, but came to the United States to get married. The book’s on the suggested reading list for my Guide badge, so I’ve spent all weekend reading it and I’m still not done.

  What a contrast between Mrs. Sugimoto’s life in Japan and then in America. I could never live in Japan — the women must be so obedient to the men. I bet Mama’s glad that she doesn’t live there anymore either!

  Wednesday, November 5

  In English class, we’re studying what Miss Wright calls the great romantic poets — Wordsworth, Shelley and Sir Walter Scott. I’ve got to memorize some stanzas from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge — ugh! And I’m supposed to read either an entire narrative poem or four lyric poems for my Guide badge. That’s going to be a real challenge.

  It’s been almost two weeks since my friends told off Billy and he’s left me blissfully alone!

  Thursday, November 6

  Harry received his secret password from the Tillicum Club today, along with a little totem pole he’s wear
ing on a piece of string around his neck. He runs around the house saying, “Klahowya!” If that’s the secret password, it isn’t secret anymore!

  The rain held off this afternoon long enough for us to get in our grass-hockey game. The season will end soon, though. It’s a good thing I like reading so much.

  Monday, November 10

  Finally finished A Daughter of the Samurai. Now Kay’s calling me a bookworm! I learned a lot about Japan, but that way of life seems so strange.

  Don’t know what to read next. Kay won’t lend me her copy of Gone With the Wind — she says it’s too racy for me!

  Tuesday, November 11

  It’s Remembrance Day. Muriel Bishop recited “In Flanders Fields” at the assembly this morning. Afterwards we had a minute of silence at eleven o’clock.