FEATURE SHORT STORIES

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="2118e8e3.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="19295810.gif" border=0 width="149" height="129" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" >*</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Times New Roman" >* </FONT><B>The </B><B>Okatas</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Times New Roman" >  </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="1a1a49c0.jpg" border=0 width="164" height="156" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EVENT"><U><B>EVENT</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" DATE AND LOCATION"><U><B> DATE AND LOCATION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="REGISTRATION "><U><B>REGISTRATION </B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Order your souvenirs"><U><B>Order your souvenirs</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SOUVENIR DESIGNS"><U><B>SOUVENIR DESIGNS</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>FEATURE SHORT STORIES</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CREDIT TO SHORT STORIES"><U><B>CREDIT TO SHORT STORIES</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LIFE AS A TEEN IN PEPEEKEO"><U><B>LIFE AS A TEEN IN  PEPEEKEO</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART OF THE THE COMMITTEE"><U><B>PART OF THE THE COMMITTEE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Andrade Camp"><U><B>Andrade Camp</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="REUNION COMMITTEE"><U><B>REUNION COMMITTEE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CONTACT US "><U><B>CONTACT US </B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B> </B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>"Small Kid Time" at the Pepeekeo Mill Camp</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Times New Roman" > </FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> story as told by Katsumi and Sadako Okata<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#262626" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#262626" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B> </B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>      </B></I></FONT></div> <div> <I><B>written by Jodi Endo Chai  </B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>     </B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>                                                                     </B></I></FONT></div> <div> The plantation camp was a place where life was simple and there wasn't much to do so camp dwellers had to find ways to entertain themselves and have fun.</div> <bR> <div> Katsumi Okata and Sadako (Akiyama) Okata grew up in the Mauka side of the Pepeekeo Mill Camp. </div> <bR> <div> At that time, their camp didn't have organized sports programs or a movie theater, and there was only one car for the entire community.</div> <bR> <div> "We almost did nothing!" said Katsumi. "We fished and swam down the river."</div> <bR> <div> Sadako added, "As young girls, we played with Kewpie dolls and made clothes to dress the dolls." </div> <bR> <div> The day they both fondly remember is the 4th of July. That was the day many youngsters would ride the train to Hilo Town. </div> <bR> <div> In a community where there was only one car and money was tight for many, a trip to Hilo town was a big deal. </div> <bR> <div> Katsumi said his parents would give him a dollar to spend for the day.</div> <bR> <div> "Back then it was a silver dollar," he recalled. "I'd put the silver dollar in my pocket and walk a half mile to walk to the train station. I even remember the name of the train station manager - Jon Lo. We'd catch the train from Hamakua. we'd leave half past seven.</div> <bR> <div> "That's how we used to say it back then - `half past seven' - we didn't' say `seven thirty' - we said, `half past seven.'"</div> <bR> <div> He continued, "It was 18 cents one way, so we'd buy a round trip ticket for 32 cents. The train would stop by Wailuku River, then we'd go to Mooheau Park and wait for the parade. </div> <bR> <div> "For five cents, I'd buy one slice watermelon," said Katsumi. "Then for another five cents, I'd buy ice cream. But back then the ice cream was mostly cornstarch and water - not fancy like the kind they have today.</div> <bR> <div> "Then for 15 cents, I'd buy lunch at the chop suey house, which was just below the present Palace Theater. After that we'd see a movie for 10 cents. </div> <bR> <div> "When the movie was done we'd shop at the many drugs stores and look for a gift to buy my mom. Then at 4 o'clock we'd take the afternoon train back home."</div> <bR> <div> "Back then you could almost buy anything for 5 cents - but I didn't even have five cents in my pocket!"</div> <bR> <div> It truly was a special day. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>    </B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B> </B></I></div> </td> </tr></table></body>