Американские боги
Chapter 7
"IthinkIshouldbuyyouaspotofsupper.I’mafraidmyfriendherehassomeworkthatneedsdoing."
SomewhereinAmerica
NewYorkscaresSalim,andsoheclutcheshissamplecaseprotectivelywithbothhands,holdingittohischest.Heisscaredofblackpeople,thewaytheystareathim,andheisscaredoftheJews,theonesdressedallinblackwithhatsandbeardsandsidecurlshecanidentifyandhowmanyothersthathecannot;heisscaredofthesheerquantityofthepeople,allshapesandsizesofpeople,astheyspillfromtheirhigh,high,filthybuildingsontothesidewalks;heisscaredofthehonkinghullabalooofthetraffic,andheisevenscaredoftheair,whichsmellsbothdirtyandsweet,andnothingatallliketheairofOman.
SalimhasbeeninNewYork,inAmerica,foraweek.Eachdayhevisitstwo,perhapsthreedifferentoffices,openshissamplecase,showsthemthecoppertrinkets,theringsandbottlesandtinyflashlights,themodelsoftheEmpireStateBuilding,theStatueofLiberty,theEiffelTower,gleamingincopperinside;eachnighthewritesafaxtohisbrother-in-law,Fuad,athomeinMuscat,tellinghimthathehastakennoorders,or,ononehappyday,thathehadtakenseveralorders(but,asSalimispainfullyaware,notyetenougheventocoverhisairfareandhotelbill).
ForreasonsSalimdoesnotunderstand,hisbrother-in-law’sbusinesspartnershavebookedhimintotheParamountHotelonForty-sixthStreet.
