Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Chapter 15

Executive Orders (1942)

• The morning after he goes to the Black Elks Club, Henry wakes up to the smell of siu beng, which is one of his father's favorite foods.
• His dad is in an excellent mood because there have been a bunch of arrests of the Japanese locals. Classy thing to be excited about… not.
• His father tells him there's been a declaration by President Roosevelt that designates the entire West Coast as a military area, which means Japanese Americans can be forced to relocate in the interests of national security.
• Worried about Keiko and her family, Henry hurries to school in hopes of talking to her—but to his disappointment, Keiko doesn't show up that day.
• The other kids are also super mean to Henry after the declaration because they see him as the enemy; they consider him just like the Japanese.
• What a rough day.