\title{MAKO DISCOVERS AMERICA}
\author{By Mako Iwamatsu \\ With Illustrations by Taro Yashima}

\begin{abstract}
The Discerning Eye of Youth Looks at this Strange New World.

Editor's Note: Shortly before Pearl Harbor, artist Taro Yashima (Jun Iwamatsu) and his wife fled Japan for America because of persecution by the Japanese police. They left behind their four year old son, Mako. Mako came to this country in June of this year to be reunited in New York City, now the home of the Yashimas. This article young Mako tells of his readjustment from war-time Japan to America and of his reunion with his parents.
\end{abstract}

\section{}
Dear K:

I haven't written even a single letter to an intimate guy like you. Forgive me.

I was separated from my parents for ten years before I came here. There was some sort of strange emotion in my mind while I was crossing the American ocean—how do I get along with my parents? Though it was a silly thing to think, somehow I wanted to act like a kid being grown up toward my parents.

My new life with my family over here was rather strange at first. I found the whole month I arrived here full of new things and curious things. I kept calling them “Oh! Oh!” and my parents started to think I should do something about it. My mother told me that when I wanted to see something new I should say “O-kora,” as you used to say.

I wanted to call my father “O-kora,” as you know, and he showed me around the city when he had a chance. I remember he showed me some new houses. He used to take me to museums and parks and the zoo. One time we went to the Empire State Building and to Chinatown. We ate Chinese food there.

My first impressions of New York was that people's living standard was excellent on a high level materially, compared with Japanese life which was surprisingly poor.

Sometimes I had a huge sandwich which looked like a machine which is bigger than the movies enlarged by the strength of money.

\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics{figure_1.pdf}
\caption{``In a year or so I'll be going to college and major in architecture.''}
\label{figure_1}
\end{figure}

Movies which enlarged the movies enlarged by the strength of money gradually became interesting. But when I saw the huge buildings and the bridges I felt sometimes that they were more gigantic than anything I had seen before.

After a while I began to understand what they were saying, at the same time I gained a vexation. The more I began to understand them, the more you would see the defects of more touches and some dents. For instance, my parents and I went to the movies one night and I found that the theater was very crowded. A man who sat next to me talked loudly and laughed all the time. I wondered why people were so noisy in the theater.

I had another experience that was very strange. One day I was waiting for a bus and a man suddenly began to talk to me in English. I couldn't understand him very well and I was very nervous.

Most of the students in my school were from different countries. They were born and brought up in this big city, and they had no ambitions, moralities and philosophies. They were enjoying their lives which seemed to be very easy for them.

I found that many students were completely alone. In New York I became very brutal to fight if it became necessary. Although they were just young kids, they looked at us as if we were insulting them or they stuck their eyes into us unconsciously until it hurt them up.

I started to work after a few weeks, but I was very much worried about the job. My father knew a man who was running a small shop. I asked him if I could work there and he said yes.

\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics{figure_2.pdf}
\caption{... A Chinese friend who couldn't speak English better than me was holding my books with a great care.}
\label{figure_2}
\end{figure}

I was going to work in the shop after school every day. I had to clean the store and do many small things. Although it was a small job, I was happy to have it because I wanted to help my parents.

Continued on page 28.