GOTO-HEALTH

Heidi,

 

Guess who I had lunch with today. Vanna Novak! The eight of us Asian women introduced ourselves around the table at the Chinook restaurant, near the Ballard Bridge. When it came to my turn, “Dee Goto”. 

 

Vanna, sitting to my left, asks, “Who was your husband?" 

 

“Sam Goto, he had his Dental Lab in Seattle’s Medical Dental Building.” I answer.

 

Vanna, leaning further, points to her right upper central tooth and says,  "When I went to him to get a color match, he said, I have typical Asian big teeth.”  Dr. Branch and Heidi his assistant, had sent Vanna to Sam’s lab at 423 Medical Dental Building where Sam had practiced for almost 60 years. Sam wrote a book about those years before he passed the end of 2017.

 

We hug and laugh and cry!!  Vanna goes on to remember him saying, “You need to meet my wife?”

 

As I remember that time, 30plus years ago, I was on the on the board of the Japanese American Chamber of Commerce created by Scott Oki. Origin (1994): EDI was co-founded by Ted Yamamura and Vanna Novak. It began as a special interest group under the Japanese American Chamber of Commerce to provide leadership training for Japanese Americans.

 

Vanna, is retired, but I’m at age 87 in pretty good health. I have a few more years I can contribute. Maybe I can talk her into a few speaking lessons and contribute both monetarily and physically to a cause where I can use those lessons???

 

Thank you Elaine Kitamura for arranging this lunch!