Американские боги

           Meanwhile,Iamofferingyouaperfectlylegaljob-goodmoney,limitedsecurity,remarkablefringebenefits.Hell,ifyoulivethatlong,Icouldthrowinapensionplan.Youthinkmaybeyou’dlikeoneofthem?"

           Shadowsaid,"Youmusthaveseenmynameonthesideofmybag."

           Themansaidnothing.

           "Whoeveryouare,"saidShadow,"youcouldn’thaveknownIwasgoingtobeonthisplane.Ididn’tknowIwasgoingtobeonthisplane,andifmyplanehadn’tbeendivertedtoSt.Louis,Iwouldn’thavebeen.Myguessisyou’reapracticaljoker.Maybeyou’rehustlingsomething.ButIthinkmaybewe’llhaveabettertimeifweendthisconversationhere."

           Themanshrugged.

           Shadowpickedupthein-flightmagazine.Thelittleplanejerkedandbumpedthroughthesky,makingithardertoconcentrate.Thewordsfloatedthroughhismindlikesoapbubbles,thereashereadthem,gonecompletelyamomentlater.

           Themansatquietlyintheseatbesidehim,sippinghisJackDaniel’s.Hiseyeswereclosed.

           Shadowreadthelistofin-flightmusicchannelsavailableontransatlanticflights,andthenhewaslookingatthemapoftheworldwithredlinesonitthatshowedwheretheairlineflew.Thenhehadfinishedreadingthemagazine,and,reluctantly,heclosedthecoverandslippeditintothepocket.

           Themanopenedhiseyes.Therewassomethingstrangeabouthiseyes,Shadowthought.Oneofthemwasadarkergraythantheother.HelookedatShadow."Bytheway,"hesaid,"Iwassorrytohearaboutyourwife,Shadow.Agreatloss."

           Shadownearlyhittheman,then.