Title:
Letter from Paul H. [Kusuda] to [Afton] Nance, 1942 Sep 22
Creator:
Kusuda, Paul H., 1922-
Subject:
Nance, Afton Dill
Japanese Americans-- Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
Description:
Handwritten letter from Paul H. Kusuda to Afton Nance, 1942 September 22.
B 32-3-3 WAR RELOCATIONCENTER MANZANAR, CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER, 22 1942 Dear Mrs. Nance:-
Thank you soooooooo much for writing SIENA (or rather printing it) so that I was able to make out what you meant. Of course
your writing is legible, but -------. Now, about calling me a “saucy piece” ------ well, I like that (am I kidding?). You
must have your nerve. After all ----- you’re only a principal (read very derogatively, it sounds fine!). Do you, or don’t
you have a copy of the Tolan Committee hearings? Is that blunt enough to warrant an immediate answer? I have a set which
I would be glad to send you. On the same day, yesterday, Monday, September 21, 1942, I also received a letter from Tayeko.
She is not my “girlfriend” (fortunately or unfortunately, I will not commit myself to say). I am the stupid type of person
who tries to help anyone in trouble if at all possible. She stated that she remembered you ---- but definitely! Aren’t you
flattered beyond words? She also mentioned receiving a letter from you. Quoting her exact words, she wrote, “I’ll write
Mrs. Nance and I do remember her! She’s been wonderful to you, né?” In explanation, “né” in Japanese is a term well-used
by Nisei in general. It is equivalent to “huh?”, “isn’t that so?”, and/or “don’t you think?” Well, anyway, you get the idea,
don’t you? It’s confusing, né? If Tomi is going about the middle of October, I guess that he will wind up in Arkansas,
won’t he? When you build yourself a “small & utterly charming house someplace,” don’t be too surprised to find a fine upstanding
young man (namely, me, of course!) (am I kidding?) standing outside your door asking for admittance. Then, I will be able
to really sponge off you. Thank you very much for your stamps. That will serve to take a little load off my generous
budget. That was a marvelous display of the filthy lucre which you must be dragging by the fist-fulls. By the way, I
brought all of the copies of the New Yorker which you sent me to the office where I work. “Office” sounds pretentious, but
it really isn’t. Now, a lot of people can enjoy them too. Now, it’s approaching lunch time, so I must be dashing off.
You know --- I wouldn’t want to miss food! I’ll be more enlightening, I hope, the next time. Hasta luego,
Paul H.
Publisher:
Japanese American National Museum
Date:
1942 September 22
Type:
text
Format:
1 folded sheet ( 4 p. letter ) ; sheet 20 x 27 cm.
Identifier:
JANM_094
2001.175.30
Language:
eng
Relation:
Coverage:
Manzanar (Calif.)
Rights:
Copyrighted;
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Hirasaki National Resource Center at
the Japanese American National Museum (hnrc@janm.org).
Japanese American National Museum
Letter from Paul H. [Kusuda] to [Afton] Nance, 1942 Sep 22