Американские боги
Chapter 9
"Ifanyoneasks,Iamyouruncle,andIshallberejoicingintheunlikelynameofEmersonBorson.Settlein,inLakeside,nephewAinsel.I’llcomeforyouwithintheweek.Weshallbetravelingtogether.VisitingthepeopleIhavetovisit.Inthemeantime,keepyourheaddownandstayoutoftrouble."
"Mycar—?"saidShadow.
"I’lltakegoodcareofit.HaveagoodtimeinLakeside,"saidWednesday.Hethrustouthishand,andShadowshookit.Wednesday’shandwascolderthanacorpse’s.
"Jesus,"saidShadow."You’recold."
"ThenthesoonerIammakingthetwo-backedbeastwiththelittlehotsy-totsylassfromtherestaurantinabackroomoftheMotel6,thebetter."AndhereachedouthisotherhandandsqueezedShadow’sshoulder.
Shadowexperiencedadizzyingmomentofdoublevision:hesawthegrizzledmanfacinghim,squeezinghisshoulder,buthesawsomethingelse:somanywinters,hundredsandhundredsofwinters,andagraymaninabroad-brimmedhatwalkingfromsettlementtosettlement,leaningonhisstaff,staringinthroughwindowsatthefirelight,atajoyandaburninglifehewouldneverbeabletotouch,neverevenbeabletofeel…
"Go,"saidWednesday,hisvoiceareassuringgrowl."Alliswell,andalliswell,andallshallbewell."
Shadowshowedhistickettothedriver."Hellofadaytobetraveling,"shesaid.
