8Asians | An Asian American collaborative blog

Please Note: This story is fictional and was originally intended for a children’s book. 

Previously… “Kuma” (Part 1)

Kuma (Pt. 2)

Eddy was a Nisei, which means second generation Japanese.  In other words, his parents were born in Japan, but he was born in America and was therefore a citizen.  Because he had never visited his parent’s homeland and since he couldn’t speak a word of their native language, he always felt more American than Japanese.

But when others saw Eddy, they saw the enemy. At school, the other kids wouldn’t let him play baseball during recess and the teachers stopped calling on him in class. They all blamed him for what Japan had done.  It was the first time Eddy felt more Japanese than American.

Not everyone stopped being friends with Eddy.  Julia told him. “Now you have more time for me.”

Kuma barked, which was his way of saying, “Don’t forget about me, too!”

A month after Mr.  Murakami was taken away, the family finally got a letter from him.  Mr.  Murakami told them that he was safe, but he couldn’t say where he was.

In late March 1942, Eddy was playing catch with Kuma and Julia when one of their old Japanese neighbors walked past them in tears.

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Please Note: This story is fictional and was originally intended for a children’s book. 

Kuma 

Eddy Murakami’s10th birthday was on July 4, 1941 and he knew he wanted a dog.  He even had a name picked out already.  The dog’s name was going to be Kuma, which in Japanese means, “bear.”

For the entire month of June, Eddy begged his dad to get him a dog.

“Dad, can I have a dog?” Eddy would ask every time he saw him.

And every time Mr.  Murakami would say, “No.”

But Eddy wasn’t the kind of boy that took no for an answer.  So he kept asking.

By the time his birthday finally came, Eddy hadn’t been able to change his dad’s mind.  That’s why when his dad came home from work with a handsome 100-pound Akita, he had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

“Happy birthday,” Mr. Murakami told Eddy.

Mrs.  Murakami asked him, “What are you going to call him?”

Eddy didn’t have to think about it.  “Kuma.” And the funny thing was that Kuma really did look like a bear!

“That’s a great name,” Mr.  Murakami said.

And from that point on, Kuma was part of the Murakami family.

Kuma and Eddy quickly became best friends.  Kuma went everywhere Eddy went.  They even slept in the same bed!  His mom told him that he’d get bit by fleas, but Eddy didn’t care.  He couldn’t fall asleep without Kuma right next to him.

Every day they visited Eddy’s other best friend, Julia, who lived right down the street from the Murakami’s.  Kuma liked Julia because she tied fancy bows in his hair and gave him lots of hugs and kisses.

December 7, 1941 started like any other Sunday.  Eddy and his mom went to the Church down the street.  During the middle of the service, people began to whisper that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Eddy knew his dad would want to know the news right away, so he excused himself and ran all the way home.

But when he got to his house, Eddy knew something was wrong.  There was a strange car parked in the driveway and the front door was wide open.

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