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Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.

–Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack

Chapter Eleven continues documenting Shadow's stay in Lakeside, where a girl has gone missing and Shadow aids in the search party for her. Mr. Wednesday returns to take Shadow to San Francisco to recruit Easter for his war.

Plot[]

Shadow hangs out with Hinzelmann who sells him raffle tickets for the klunker on the ice. Shadow buys the time slot for March 23rd from 9:00 am to 9:25 am. Shadow heads to the library to research his dream about eagle stones and thunderbirds. While there, he runs into Leon and Marguerite Olsen who tells him to visit the library sale. He buys three books for a dollar, including the Minutes of the Lakeside City Council 1872--1884. Shadow arrives back at his apartment where Chad Mulligan offers him a ride. They chat about Marge Olsen and her ex-husband, Darren. Darren managed the Motel America in Camden before it closed. He drained their bank account in ten weeks and Marge divorced him, causing a custody battle. He returned every few months to cause trouble and then leave again before the last year when he said he wanted to take his sons to Florida for Christmas. Two weeks later, Sandy vanished.

That evening, Shadow practices coin tricks from one of the books he bought before falling asleep reading some of the Minutes book. He dreams about thunderbirds and a tower of skulls before being awakened by a phone call from Mr. Wednesday who yells at him for raising "such a ruckus that not even a dead man could miss it." He tells Shadow they're going to San Francisco before hanging up.

In San Francisco, Wednesday and Shadow meet up with Easter where she is having an extravagant picnic in a park. She leaves behind her picnic free to feed anyone in the park and they head to a coffee house as Wednesday tries to sway her to his side in the upcoming war. Wednesday reminds Easter that she is only doing well because of bunnies and eggs and Jesus. Wednesday short-changes the waitress and Shadow intervenes, paying her the missing ten dollars. Wednesday proceeds to tell Shadow every bad thing about the woman and Shadow tells him it still doesn't justify stiffing someone.

Back in Lakeside the next morning, Mulligan stops by to tell Shadow that Alison McGovern, the girl from the bus, has gone missing. Shadow joins him in the search party for her, which ends when it gets too cold. He joins everyone back at the Buck Stops Here tavern and performs coin tricks for several people for the first time. On his way home, Shadow stops to buy milk and runs into Sophie, Alison's friend from the bus. Sophie tells Shadow that she thinks Alison went missing just like Sandy Olsen and two other kids over the previous years.

Coming to America[]

Main article: Coming to America#Chapter Eleven

Mr. Ibis tells the tale of a girl, Wututu, and her twin brother, Agasu, whose uncle sold them into slavery.

Myths[]

Dreams[]

Coin tricks[]

Places[]

People[]

Notes and trivia[]

  • In the klunker raffle, Shadow buys a 25 minute period for $40 for March 23rd, 9:00 am - 9:25 am.
  • Shadow buys three books for a dollar:
    • Herodotus' Histories
    • Perplexing Parlor Illusions
    • Minutes of the Lakeside City Council 1872--1884
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