Summary

Chapter Four begins with Chan’s narration of driving across the seemingly endless plains, and eventually crossing some “unseen dotted line” into Minnesota, which a sign identifies as the “Land of Ten Thousand Lakes” but which Chan thinks of as the “Land of Ten Thousand Hillbillies” (15). The family makes their way to Iron River, where Chan notes the celebration of the town football team’s long-ago championship win. When they arrive at the apartment building where Bong lived, and which Bong had said was holding a place for them, Abogee takes Chan into the office but orders him to be quiet. There, Abogee’s somewhat broken English angers the building’s landlord, who demands that Abogee pay Bong’s outstanding rent. When Chan tries to tell Abogee what the man is asking for, Abogee tells him to be quiet, and then demands...