Transcript of letter from Mary Murakami

June 2, 1942

Hello Molly,

How’s everything? I’m finally in my temporary home for the duration. Boy! What a place. It’s real hot and dusty. We arrived in Parker after a long ten hours ride and from there we were transferred to a Pacific Electric bus and rode for 18 miles on a real dusty unpaved road. We registered and took a physical exam and were taken to our new home (1 room). We received a bed and blanket each. Then we had the job of filling a bag like thing with hay to take the place of a mattress. Boy we “hit the hay” truly now.

It was like playing house to settle down. After all what can you keep neat looking in a single room. The barrack is divided into four and a family with more than five occupy one room each. Less than five share rooms. We have all friends in the same barrack so that’s one good thing. Whew! It’s so hot!

The benjo’s had no partitions at first and you can imagine the rest. They did fix it but no doors. There’s windows that you could look through too. [diagram of toilets] The showers are all lined up and no privacy at all. I go with Mrs.Inouye and we take turns watching for each other. We haven’t missed one yet. There’s no hot water as yet and the water stinks like____ Lots of people are having stomach trouble account of the water. I suppose everything will be improved as time passes on. I hope any way.

The foods getting good now.

We have breakfast at 7-8

Lunch 12-1

Supper 6-7

We make a joke of trying to be the first one in line. But everyone caught onto the trick and there’s a whole line of people waiting about 15 minutes before time.

I went to the young people’s worship service Sunday. There I met the people from Baptist. You’d think I could meet all my friends, but that isn’t at all true. It’s so scattered, and I havne’t hardly met any body but the people on our block and their [sic] not all from Boyle Heights. It’s so hot I don’t even feel like [—- plowing] this joint. The roads no good any way.

The afternoon’s are so hot the radio doesn’t even come on. The heat wave affect it. I could get KFI and KNX I don’t know about the others.

Just the same there’s no place like home. You realize the value of all the things you leave behind. Including bath. We do our washing by and, and what a job! Everything is muddy. My hair is event muddy like. And my face is all sun burned etc.

I’d better be signing off now and please write and let me know what’s cookin in L.A. and school O.K.

Bye now

Always,

Mary