Американские боги

           Heleftthecockroachwhereitwas,outofrespectforthedead.

           Shadowclimbedintothebed.Hewonderedaboutwatchinganadultmovie,butthepay-per-viewdevicebythephoneneededacreditcard.Thenagain,hewasnotconvincedthatitwouldmakehimfeelanybettertowatchotherpeoplehavesexthathewasn’thaving.HeturnedontheTVforcompany,pressedtheSleepbuttonontheremotethreetimes,whichwouldmaketheTVsetturnitselfoffautomaticallyinforty-fiveminutes,bywhichtimehefiguredhe’dbefastasleep.Itwasaquartertomidnight.

           Thepicturewasmotel-fuzzy,andthecolorsswamacrossthescreen.Heflippedfromlateshowtolateshowinthetelevisualwasteland,unabletofocus.Someonewasdemonstratingsomethingthatdidsomethinginthekitchen,andreplacedadozenotherkitchenutensils,noneofwhichShadowpossessed.Flip.AmaninasuitexplainedthattheseweretheendtimesandthatJesus—afour-orfive-syllablewordthewaythemanpronouncedit—wouldmakeShadow’sbusinessprosperandthriveifShadowsenthimmoney.Flip:anepisodeofM*A*S*HendedandaDickVanDykeepisodebegan.

           Shadowhadn’tseenanepisodeofTheDickVanDykeShowforyears,buttherewassomethingcomfortingaboutthe1965black-and-whiteworlditpainted,andheputthechannelchangerdownbesidethebed,andturnedoffthebedsidelight.Hewatchedtheshow,eyesslowlyclosing,awarethatsomethingwasodd.