| “ | Hey, old friend. What do you say, old friend? Make it okay, old friend, Give an old friendship a break, Why so grim? We're going on forever. You, me, him — Too many lives are at stake... |
” |
–Stephen Sondheim, 'Old Friends' | ||
In Chapter Thirteen, Samantha Black Crow and Audrey Burton arrive in Lakeside, leading to Shadow's arrest for the murders of the two Spooks that Laura killed. While he is in the Lakeside jail, Media displays footage for Shadow of Mr. Wednesday being executed by Mr. World. Shadow is transported from jail by two deputies who turn out to be Czernobog and Mr. Nancy in disguise.
Plot[]
Shadow's neighbor, Marguerite Olsen, invites him to her place for spaghetti and meatballs at six. Shadow agrees to dinner and heads into town, buying a potted plant and a bottle of wine before stopping at Mabel's for lunch. Mabel tells him Hinzelmann wants to go ice-fishing with him and Chad Mulligan wants Shadow to know his widowed second-cousin is in town.
He returns home and Wednesday calls him on his disconnected phone. Wednesday tells him the New Gods have contacted him and want to discuss a truce. He tells Shadow to stay in Lakeside and keep his head down before hanging up. Shadow decides to read his Minutes of the Lakeside City Council to kill some time and discovers that one of Hinzelmann's ancestors had helped create the lake around Lakeside that gives the town its name.
Shadow arrives at Marge's for dinner shortly before Marge's half-sister, Sam, returns from the store. Shadow and Sam pretend to not know each other while they sit down to dinner and Sam shares stories about their family. After dinner, while Marge puts Leon to bed, Sam takes Shadow to the Buck Stops Here. On the way to the bar, Sam and Shadow discuss the Spooks and Sam convinces Shadow to tell her the truth because she can "believe anything." Shadow explains to her about the war between the Old Gods and the New Gods and she tells him she won't turn him in.
Chad Mulligan is at the bar with his distant cousin, who turns out to be Audrey Burton. She screams and causes a scene when she sees Shadow and orders for him to be arrested for murdering the two Spooks. Sam tells Audrey off before kissing Shadow to show she's on his side. Mulligan takes Shadow outside and sends Audrey away before driving Shadow to his office. He lets Shadow use his phone and Shadow calls Ibis and Jacquel Funeral Parlor. Mr. Ibis answers and Shadow asks him to track down Wednesday. Bast comes on the phone next and tells him to take care. Ibis tells Shadow he can't get a hold of Wednesday but he left a message with Mr. Nancy and wishes him luck.
Shadow starts reading some more of the Minutes book about kids going missing every winter when Mulligan returns and apologizes for having to arrest Shadow for violating his parole. Mulligan takes him down the hall to the Lumber County jail where Shadow is processed by Office Liz Bute and left to wait for three hours until the Lafayette Sheriff's Department comes to pick him up. While Shadow is left handcuffed and waiting, there is a television on in the background while Officer Bute takes a nap. Media gets Shadow's attention as Diane from Cheers and begins to show him a "LIVE FEED" with Mr. Town outside a building. The feed changes to inside the building and Wednesday is there, talking to a person with his back to the camera who turns out to be Mr. World. As Wednesday is arguing with Mr. World, a red laser dot appears on his glass eye. There is a bang and his head explodes. Media replays Wednesday's assassination and freeze-frames it for Shadow.
The phone in the jail rings and Officer Bute wakes up to answer it. She sticks Shadow in a jail cell while she lets the Lafayette deputies in. Mulligan and Bute sign him over to the two deputies and Shadow is put into the backseat of a black town car. As they drive away, the deputies reveal themselves to be Mr. Nancy and Czernobog.
Coming to America[]
- Main article: Coming to America#Chapter Thirteen
Atsula is a Siberian priestess who has a vision from Nunyunnini, their god housed in the skull and furs of a woolly mammoth telling her to leave their lands because of a grave danger.
Myths[]
- Nunyunnini is an ancient Siberian god with the skull and cloak of a woolly mammoth.
Dreams[]
Coin tricks[]
Places[]
- Lakeside, WI
People[]
- Shadow
- Marguerite Olsen
- Mabel
- Mr. Wednesday
- Leon
- Samantha Black Crow
- Chad Mulligan
- Audrey Burton
- Mr. Ibis
- Bast
- Officer Liz Bute
- Media (as the characters on Cheers)
- Mr. Town
- Mr. World
- Mr. Nancy
- Czernobog
- Atsula
- Gugwei
- Yanu
- Kalanu