Thin Wood Walls

On December 11, 1941, Germany and Italy declare war on the United States. Joe’s mother receives a phone call about her husband. He’s being held in Seattle but will be transferred to an undisclosed location. She visits him in Seattle, but has no further information to share with her family. The family receives a letter from Mr. Hanada; it’s been blacked out and redacted by the government. Joe is determined to get the family Christmas tree from the Spooners, but his mother doesn’t know how to drive. Joe and Mike clean out the root cellar and wonder if their father is being held in a dank and cold cell. They are surprised by Mr. Spooner, who brings them their Christmas tree.

The news continues to get worse. Prominent Seattle businessmen want to sever ties with the Japanese farmers that provide produce and get rid of Japanese business owners. When Ray asks Joe if it’s possible that the FBI knows something about Joe’s father that Joe doesn’t, Joe and Ray get into a physical fight. Ray apologizes and assures Joe that he’s on his side.

Christmas is lonely without Mr. Hanada, but Joe is happy that he got the gift he wanted: a telegraph system he can use for his Morse code with Ray.