Американские боги

           "Well?"

           "Thisiscrazy,"saidShadow.

           "Liketherestofyourlifeissane?Givemeafuckingbreak."

           "Whatever.LucilleBalltalkingtomefromtheTVisweirderbyseveralordersofmagnitudethananythingthat’shappenedtomesofar,"saidShadow.

           "It’snotLucilleBall.It’sLucyRicardo.Andyouknowsomething—I’mnotevenher.It’sjustaneasywaytolook,giventhecontext.That’sall."Sheshifteduncomfortablyonthesofa.

           "Whoareyou?"askedShadow.

           "Okay,"shesaid."Goodquestion.I’mtheidiotbox.I’mtheTV.I’mtheall-seeingeyeandtheworldofthecathoderay.I’mtheboobtube.I’mthelittleshrinethefamilygatherstoadore."

           "You’rethetelevision?Orsomeoneinthetelevision?"

           "TheTV’sthealtar.I’mwhatpeoplearesacrificingto."

           "Whatdotheysacrifice?"askedShadow.

           "Theirtime,mostly,"saidLucy."Sometimeseachother."Sheraisedtwofingers,blewimaginarygunsmokefromthetips.Thenshewinked,abigoldILoveLucywink.

           "You’reagod?"saidShadow.

           Lucysmirked,andtookalady-likepuffofhercigarette."Youcouldsaythat,"shesaid.

           "Samsayshi,"saidShadow.

           "What?Who’sSam?Whatareyoutalkingabout?"

           Shadowlookedathiswatch.