Place Called Estherville

After their mother dies, they move to a segregated town called Estherville to help take care of their sick aunt.

Chapter One The novel opens with Ganus who is working as a servant in the home of a prominent white family.

One Sunday morning while the parents are at church, young-adult daughter Stephena enters the kitchen and flirts with Ganus, making him feel uncomfortable because he is concerned about being caught alone with a white woman.

His domineering wife Norma is away visiting family and George takes the opportunity to approach Kathyanne.

Chapter Four Kathyanne finds work at the home of a woman named Madgie, who doesn't pay her for several weeks.

Chapter Five Ganus needs a bicycle to start a job as a delivery person for a local grocer, but does not have the funds to pay for one.

Chapter Seven Ganus is working as the delivery person for the local grocer and is asked to take a package to a Miss Vernice.

She has made sexual advances to Ganus in the past, so he is reluctant to deliver the groceries, but does so for fear of losing his job.

He quickly leaves the house before Miss Vernice can make any advances, but she calls for another delivery.

Chapter Ten Kathyanne is entertaining a Black farm hand named Henry who is courting her.

Clyde, the property manager, arrives to speak to Kathyanne and asks Henry to leave them alone.

Chapter Twelve Dr. Horatio Plowden is awakened at 2:00 in the morning and finds an envelope with Kathyanne’s name on it and $100 inside.

The two speak about race issues, and Plowden chastises the sheriff for his racist behaviour and promises that change will come and people like him will not be tolerated.