Joy Kogawa sent us an e-mail about her day at the Open House event. She writes:
I was blown away the moment I arrived – the big tent for registration in the front lawn, the flowers on the stone pillars, the long display of the timeline and photos along the fence. It was so attractive and celebratory and such a surprise!
And then inside, with the display – Tim’s toy cars, the Japanese writing tablet, the 1937 calendar, the green picture that used to be in the house, etc. Joan and Sabina in attendance in the living room, the words from Obasan on the red paper on the walls and doors, the crush of people, the congratulatory words and smiles, the tv crew with Todd, the woman who had lived in the house after we left, the Steves’ ‘boys’ and their wives, and ‘my’ bedroom with my funny old desk and typewriter and a few more things from the house – and talking to so many people.
I was late for the book signing outside, down past the Nikkei history display, past the area set up for selling books, to the two tents and the long book signing, a steady stream from 2 to 4, and in the middle of it, the wonder of music, with Todd and his accordion, the Masako Watanabe from the JCCA Bulletin on his guitar and Harry Aoki on his double bass and Jessica Cheung. It had the touch of Todd. The Farewell Song (from Naomi’s Road opera). I was so choked up.
A daughter of a Toronto Nissei friend, a grandchild of dear Toronto friends, teachers, students, church people, neighbours, a young man who had made a documentary about the internment – And I didn’t get to see the garage setup until it was time to take it down.
Then the spreading of the manure around the poor doomed tree, and the apple tree. And at the end, Todd again with his accordion and ‘happy birthday’ and having the wonderful chocolate zucchini cake that Ann-Marie made for David’s birthday. The most delicious moist chocolate cake ever! I wanted to savour it and keep it for after dinner at our daughter’s place.
David was saying in the car, “That Ann-Marie. She sure knows how to cook.”
What a day and what a team!
It’s all stored, a memory potion to bring forth and taste and remember, a wondrous event that will be there, for the rest of my life, ready to transform something sad into something good, an event that tells us miracles can happen, that the impossible can happen, and that love wins.