Американские боги

           Localfarmerswantedtohangdeadcrowsaroundthetownonpublicbuildingstofrightentheothersaway;ornithologistssaidthatitwouldn’twork,thatthelivingcrowswouldsimplyeatthedeadones.Thelocalswereimplacable."Whentheyseethecorpsesoftheirfriends,"saidaspokesman,"they’llknowthatwedon’twantthemhere."

           Thefoodwasgood,anditcamemoundedonsteamingplates,morethananyonepersoncouldeat.

           "Sowhat’sinCairo?"askedSam,withhermouthfull.

           "Noidea.Igotamessagefrommybosssayingheneedsmedownthere."

           "Whatdoyoudo?"

           "I’manerrandboy."

           Shesmiled."Well,"shesaid,"youaren’tMafia,notlookinglikethatanddrivingthatpieceofshit.Whydoesyourcarsmelllikebananas,anyway?"

           Heshrugged,carriedoneating.

           Samnarrowedhereyes."Maybeyou’reabananasmuggler,"shesaid."Youhaven’taskedmewhatIdoyet."

           "Ifigureyou’reatschool."

           "UWMadison."

           "Whereyouareundoubtedlystudyingarthistory,women’sstudies,andprobablycastingyourownbronzes.Andyouprobablyworkinacoffeehousetohelpcovertherent."

           Sheputdownherfork,nostrilsflaring,eyeswide."Howthefuckdidyoudothat?"

           "What?Nowyousay,no,actuallyI’mstudyingRomancelanguagesandornithology.