Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

One of the benefits of living in New Oreans was meeting interesting people from all over the world.
One of these individuals was Nobou Hiashai, who a coach at Tulane University and a Judo instructor.
Nobou was just a kid, around 8 or 10 when World War II broke out. He and an older brother were
In some quasi-military training program perhaps like the Boy Scouts.

They lived in Nagasaki and were bombed regularly by the U.S. Army Air Corp. bombers. When the air raid
alarm sounded; they would form up into columns with each putting their hand on the shoulder of the one
in front of them. They would then march up into the mountains away from the city. He said he learned
how to sleep while walking in this manner. His home was far enough away to not be affected directly
by the atomic bomb that was dropped there.

While even boys his age had been trained and expected to fight any invasion, when Japan surrendered
they were ordered not to commit any hostile act. He said it was about ten days to two weeks before
he ever saw any American soldiers who drove through his neighborhood in a jeep.

He attended Christian schools and college. Late through his church, he came to the U.S. for further
graduate work and was hired for the staff at Tulane University. Nobou’s father had been a high ranking
government official in charge of the entire nation’s rationing of rice. After the war was over and Nobou’s
father died; all the younger siblings chose to take cash for their part of the estate. However, Nobou and
an older brother decided toaccept real estate, some of which was in downtown Tokyo. The rentals were fixed by long term contacts set before the war, but when they were over, the brothers were able to raise them to market level. I am sure he became a wealthy man.

One interesting story related by Nobou was once he and his wife were down in the French Quarter shopping and his wife had gone into a dress shop, but Nobou had remained out on the street. In a moment, the owner
of the shop drove up in a brand-new Cadillac and double parked, running in for some kind of errand. When a young street female saw this opportunity, she jumped into Cadillac and sped off. Now, streets in New Orleans are not normal. Nobou figured she would not know how to get out of the quarter unless she circled Jackson Square and come back by. He goes out and stands in the middle of the street and waits.

Sure enough, she had done as he expected, and he was in the middle of the road blocking her exit. As soon
As soon as she stopped, he went and opened the door and pulled her out of the vehicle, and all the while
she is screaming “rape” “rape”! He said to her, ‘Oh! Who want to rape you?”

The police soon arrive and arrest her. Now since the owner of the Cadillac was married to a member of the local Mafia, and they wanted to show their gratitude, they also owned a restaurant in the same building and
told Nobou to come and have dinner anytime gatis! The only reason they finally stopped was Nobou’s wife
was finally embarrassed at taking advantage of their largesse so often. Nobou was a big eater!

I asked him, what would you do if she tried to run over you? He said, Oh! I'd jump up and roll over hood!
And I believe he could have done it.

Just Sayin…RJS

Frank romero Loc: Clovis, NM

Thanks another interesting story