Американские боги

           Ainsel,heavens,wehaveallkindshere,morethanonekindoftreeintheforest,althoughmostlythosekindofpeoplewindupinMadisonortheTwinCities,buttruthtotell,nobodyheregivesitasecondthought.They’reinKeyWestforthewinter,they’llbebackinApril,he’llmeetthemthen.ThethingaboutLakesideisthatit’sagoodtown.NownextdoortoMr.Ainsel,that’sMargueriteOlsenandherlittleboy,asweetlady,sweet,sweetlady,butshe’shadahardlife,stillsweetaspie,andsheworksfortheLakesideNews.Notthemostexcitingnewspaperintheworld,buttruthtotellMissyGuntherthoughtthatwasprobablythewaymostfolkaroundherelikedit.

           Oh,shesaid,andpouredhimcoffee,shejustwishedthatMr.Ainselcouldseethetowninthesummerorlateinthespring,whenthelilacsandtheappleandthecherryblossomswereout,shethoughttherewasnothinglikeitforbeauty,nothinglikeitanywhereintheworld.

           Shadowgaveherafive-hundred-dollardeposit,andheclimbedupintothecarandstartedtobackitup,outofherfrontyardandontothedrivewayproper.MissyGunthertappedonhisfrontwindow."Thisisforyou,"shesaid."Inearlyforgot."Shehandedhimabuffenvelope."It’skindofagag.Wehadthemprintedupafewyearsback.Youdon’thavetolookatitnow."

           Hethankedher,anddrove,cautiously,backintothetown.Hetooktheroadthatranaroundthelake.