Американские боги

           Iseeyouboughtyourselfavee-hicle."

           "Yup.Whatdoyouthink?"

           "Truthtotell,IneverlikedthatGuntherboy.Ihadatroutstreamdowninthewoodsaway,onbackofmyproperty,wayback,wellit’stownlandbutI’dputdownstonesintheriver,madelittlepoolsandplaceswherethetroutlikedtolive.Caughtmesomebeautiestoo—onefellowmusthavebeenprettymuchthirtyincheslong,andthatlittleGuntherso-an’-sohekickeddowneachofthepoolsandthreatenedtoreportmetotheDNR.Nowhe’sinGreenBay,andsoonenoughhe’llbebackhere.Iftherewereanyjusticeintheworldhe’d’vegoneoffintotheworldasawinterrunaway,butnope,stickslikeacockleburrtoawoolenvest."HebegantoarrangethecontentsofShadow’swelcomebasketonthecounter."ThisisKatherinePowdermaker’scrabapplejelly.She’sbeengivingmeapotforChristmasforlongerthanyou’vebeenalive,andthesadtruthisI’veneveropenedaone.They’redowninmybasement,forty,fiftypots.MaybeI’llopenoneanddiscoverthatIlikethestuff.Meantime,here’sapotforyou.Maybeyou’lllikeit."

           Shadowputthejarawayinthefridge,alongwiththeotherpresentsthatHinzelmannhadbroughthim."What’sthis?"heasked,holdingupatall,unlabeledbottlefilledwithagreenishbutterysubstance.

           "Oliveoil.That’showitlookswhenitgetsthiscold.Don’tworry,it’llcookupfine."

           "Okay.