Miyoshi
glanced in the mirror, laying down her heavy comb. Her face
was clear of zits for once, her hair done up in a barrette
with tiny glass beads in it. Her tight red dress with the
thigh-length slits in the sides was perfect for her tall,
slim frame. She was ready for her prom night. She pulled on
her jacket, put her heeled slippers on, and grabbed her
purse. Her friend, Daniel Ridstrom was waiting in his dad's
Ford on the front drive. He waved as she came down her front
steps, and opened the passenger door as she approached.
"Hi,
Yoshi, sweetheart!"
"Hi, Dan. Ready?" she said, flashing her best smile.
"More than that."
They rode along, listening to Kate Smith's sweet voice on the
Oldies channel.
"She's the songbird of the South, so people say."
Dan remarked.
"Yes, her voice is beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yes. Miyoshi, listen here. I need to discuss something
serious with you, hun."
"Uh huh?"
"The US military are rounding up Japanese Americans. It
seems that they suspect these people as spies, though some
have been here since they were born."
"What does that have to do with us?"
"Miyoshi, you're Japanese and so is your family. They
might call you out at any moment! I'm worried about you're
family."
"Oh."
"I'm going into the city for work. I'm leaving soon, and
I wanted to give you something."
And he handed her the little purple satin box. Unfolding
layers of paper, Meyoshi found the bracelet. It was a chain,
with green pebbles edged with silver running from end to end.
Dan clasped it around her wrist as they sat there on the side
of the road.
"Miyoshi, I want to make sure you can't forget me. Wait
for me."
"I will. But don't go away! Not now, when we're all going
to be in danger!"
"I have to. I might be able to get something done for
this community, maybe even save your family's home from the
IRS. Will you promise?"
"What?"
"To let me leave, and then wait for me to come for
you?"
"I will!"
And they had their first real kiss on the side of that
star-lit road, with trucks rushing by and trees rustling
beside them. Prom night rushed over Meyoshi, a dream of
kisses, dancing, soda, and music. It was the last time she
ever saw Daniel Ridstrom alive.
Five
weeks later, a notice came, commanding all Japanese to come to
the local city hall. They were taken to an internment camp at
an old race-track. When she came out, Miyoshi searched
throughout the first six months of 1945 for Dan. When she
found him, she was standing at his grave in Orving Cemetery in
Los Angeles, beside his mother, Monica.
Miyoshi
never married, and refused any male companionship until she
died of cancer at fifty-six at her mother's home. This is a
fictional story, but it's meaning is clear. What you may get
out of it all, I don't know. But I hope you learn something.
