Come See the Paradise

[first lines]

Older Mini McGann:
Why are we so early?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
It's good to be early.

Older Mini McGann:
Do you ever worry that you won't recognize him, Mama?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
You recognize me, don't you?

Older Mini McGann:
Well, he might have grown a beard or a moustache or something. And I was so little. I only think I remember him. Do you think he'll remember me?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Well, he has all your photographs and all the letters you wrote him, and he has all your school reports

Older Mini McGann:
You sent him my school reports?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Of course I did. I wanted to let him know how well you were doing. Come on, now. I got some tea and rice cakes here. We'll have a nice talk while we're walking, okay? Let's go.

Older Mini McGann:
How far do we have to walk?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Not far.

Older Mini McGann:
If we have so much time, then why are you walking so fast? I shouldn't have worn these new shoes. I think I have a blister. Mama!

[speaks in Japanese]

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
[replies in Japanese] Try not to think about it. You want to look pretty, don't you?

Older Mini McGann:
Can we talk about Papa?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Okay.

Jack McGurn:
[after eyeing Lily] Hey, who was that?

Charlie Kawamura:
No one worth knowing.

Jack McGurn:
What, are you kidding?

Charlie Kawamura:
She's not your type.

Jack McGurn:
Oh, is she your girlfriend or something?

Charlie Kawamura:
No, no, no. Just a girl.

Jack McGurn:
Just a girl? She's beautiful.

Charlie Kawamura:
She's my sister.

Jack McGurn:
You told me your sister had a face like a plate of steamed dumplings.

Charlie Kawamura:
You should see her without makeup.

Jack McGurn:
You told me she was 4 feet tall and squat.

Charlie Kawamura:
Hey, I've got lots of sisters.

Jack McGurn:
Um, hi. I'm Jack. I work with your brother Charlie. Are you Dulcie?

Charlie Kawamura:
Lily. Dulcie's my other sister.

Jack McGurn:
Hi, Lily. [shakes her hand]

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
[smiles] Hello.

Jack McGurn:
We were just wondering if you would like to join us for lunch.

Charlie Kawamura:
HE was wondering.

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
[speaking to Charlie in Japanese] What?

Charlie Kawamura:
[in Japanese] Don't come with us. [to Jack, in English] Look, I'm in a hurry. She's busy. Let's go. [leaves the store]

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
I can have lunch. [asks her employers in Japanese, and they reply] I can.

Jack McGurn:
Great.

Fumiko:
[eyeing Lily suspiciously] Don't do anything I wouldn't do...

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
[in Japanese] You have a big mouth, Fumiko. [smiles]

Jack McGurn:
[after entering a local restaurant] So what are we going to order? [grabs menu]

Jack McGurn:
Can you read that?

Jack McGurn:
Yeah. My Japanese is getting better every day.

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Actually, it's in Chinese. It might help you if you turn your menu up the other way.

Jack McGurn:
[smiles] Maybe YOU oughta order, I guess.

Dulcie Kawamura:
You let him kiss you just like that? In a Chop Suey restaurant? Are you going to tell Mama?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
No. And neither are you.

Dulcie Kawamura:
You going to go dancing?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Mm-hmm. Maybe.

Dulcie Kawamura:
You going to kiss him again?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
[chuckles] Maybe.

Dulcie Kawamura:
You going to do... it?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Do what?

Dulcie Kawamura:
You know... IT.

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Dulcie, I just met him.

Dulcie Kawamura:
You kissed him in the chop suey restaurant, for goodness sake.

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Well, if I did, I certainly wouldn't tell YOU.

Dulcie Kawamura:
I guess this means you're not going to marry Mr. Fujioka

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
[in a sing-song voice] No, I'm not. [tosses powder in Dulcie's face]

Dulcie Kawamura:
[spitting out powder] Papa's going to kill you if he finds out.

Older Mini McGann:
Did you have a big wedding with Mama and Papa Kawamura? And Dulcie and Frankie and...

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
No. No, we couldn't.

Older Mini McGann:
Why?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Well, for a start, Japanese aren't allowed to marry non-Japanese in the state of California.

Older Mini McGann:
Why?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Because it was against the California laws.

Older Mini McGann:
So where did you go?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Seattle.

Older Mini McGann:
Why did you go to Seattle?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
'Cause it's not California. We could get married there.

Older Mini McGann:
What did you wear? Were you pretty?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Oh, I had a beautiful dress with a lace collar and cuffs. And I wore my hair special, with a bow just like yours. [kisses Mini lightly on her head] It was a beautiful day. It was the best wedding anyone had ever had. We had flowers. We had champagne. It was the best day of my life.

Older Mini McGann:
What about me?

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
You were born on Christmas Day, 1937. And we called you Minia after Mama Kawamura's sister.

Jack McGurn:
I agree to hand out a bundle of leaflets, and you act as if I'm going out to kill someone.

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
Because you know one thing will lead to another, and it'll make you crazy. You can't spit against Heaven, Jack!

Jack McGurn:
Oh, don't give me that Japanese SH*T!

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
[stares at Jack briefly, then silently walks away]

Lily Yuriko Kawamura:
I don't why I left your papa that day, but sometimes you get pushed and pulled without ever knowing the reasons why. But I knew I couldn't stay. I had to be with Mama and Papa Kawamura.

Eddie:
Do you have a history of labor union business, M-McGann, is it?

Jack McGurn:
Yeah. McGann. No, no I don't. I work at the cannery. I'm a fish masher.

Eddie:
You people caused quite a stir.

Jack McGurn:
It was a legal demonstration, sir. Perfectly within the Constitution.

Eddie:
Well, all that striking stuff is over now, mister. When Japs step on the beach, you think they'll take any notice of your banners? They'll stick a bayonet in your belly, grievance or no grievance. This is America, pal, so remember you're an American. We're at war now.

Jack McGurn:
What are you talking about?

Eddie:
Ain't you heard? The Japs just bombed Pearl Harbor.