Американские боги

           "

           "Well,whydon’tyouputmedownforaticketnow?"

           "Itdon’tstartuntilthedaytheklunkerhitstheice,"saidHinzelmann.HelookedoutofShadow’swindowtowardthelake."Coldoutthere.Musthavedroppedfiftydegreeslastnight."

           "Ithappenedreallyfast,"agreedShadow.

           "Weusedtoprayforfreezeslikethisbackintheolddays,"saidHinzelmann."Mydaddytoldme.Whenthesettlerswerefirstcomingintotheseparts,farmingpeopleandlumberpeople,longbeforeevertheminingpeoplecameout,althoughtheminesneverreallyhappenedinthiscounty,whichtheycouldhavedone,forthere’sironenoughunderthere…"

           "You’dprayfordayslikethis?"interruptedShadow.

           "Well,yah,itwastheonlywaythesettlerssurvivedbackthen.Weren’tenoughfoodforeveryone,andyoucouldn’tjustgodowntoDave’sandfillupyourshoppingtrolleyintheolddays,no,sir.Somygrampaw,hegottothinking,andwhenareallycolddaylikethiscomealonghe’dtakemygrammaw,andthekids,myuncleandmyauntandmydaddy—hewastheyoungest—andtheservinggirlandthehiredman,andhe’dgodownwiththemtothecreek,give’emalittlerum-and-herbsdrink,itwasarecipehe’dgotfromtheoldcountry,thenhe’dpourcreekwateroverthem.Coursethey’dfreezeinseconds,stiffandblueassomanypopsicles.