On the second day, he again told the driver to wait, promising to emerge in one hour. This time he asked to be taken to Roos Atkins, a classy downtown department store, where he bought a pair of argyle socks and some things for his friends.
On the third day, Min did the same thing, leaving the exam after only an hour and using his two extra hours to shop and enjoy the City.
To his surprise, he passed the exam. Later, when he was informed that the University officials had decided to award him his degree despite missing his finals, a canister with his rolled-up diploma was delivered to him at Tanforan before he was removed to Topaz.
“Unbelievable!” he remarked “They found me at my horse-stall address.”
About the contributor: Ann Tamaki Dion’s parents, Min Tamaki and Iyo Yamashita, were married in Topaz in 1943. Ann was born in 1948 in Massachusetts, where her father served as an Army pharmacist. After the War, the family returned to California. Ann grew up in Oakland and received a BA and teaching credential from UC Berkeley. She taught in the Oakland Public Schools before she retired. Ann was one of the founders of the Friends of Topaz.
Copyright 2016, Ann Tamaki Dion. All rights reserved.
Ann — enjoyed reading this article. Your dad had “guts & glory.” Good for him and glad that he rec’d his diploma. Loved it when he told taxi driver to wait for him, especially when he went to pick up some chow men. Got a good laugh out of that one. But bless his heart that he was thinking of his parents, etc. And what a treat they had for their meal that day.
My regards to Don. — Jack/Jun Dairiki