Interviews with Japanese in Utah: Grace Oshita

Page 89

Grace Oschita 2-26-85 s3:18 AND MY FATHER wrote. I thought he replied that he did hear my voice. He thought he heard my voice. But he didn't see us either. He wasn't able to see us. But that day, we drove to Oakland. My mother drove us to Oakland because I think the order was already out that the following day, traveling restrictions would be enforced against the aliens to travel more than five miles or something. There were restrictions, trave 1 restrictions. And so my grandmothe-r being an alien, this would have been the last chance to visit her daughter in OaklandAnd when we went to see them, tey had already been moved out of their home in Oakland because they livedonly a few blocks from the Alameda Tube. the Tube that connected Oakland to Alameda where the naval base is. And so anybody living within so many blocks of that tube had to move out anyway. So they were living inavacant store type building. I remember, ah, I don't know exactly whereft's located but the front - the front door was somewhat like a store, a retail store. And then I remember the bedspreads or sheets hanging in between the beds to give privacy to family, you know. Soit would be a makeshift bedroom. Ah, they had decided to end side three begin side four --my Uncle had diabetes. He VJas diabetic. And needed his insulin shots and a special diet. And so they were afraid to evacau--you know, be placed in camps. So~ey~cided they would go to the free zone. Of that time. And of course, they canceled the free zone anyway. L They did, yes. They thought at that time, there wouldn't be