Американские боги

           Heputthenewspaperdown."Thisismyfirstmealasafreeman.I’llwaituntilafterI’veeatentoreadyourpageseven."

           Shadowatehishamburger.Itwasbetterthanprisonhamburgers.Thechiliwasgoodbut,hedecided,afteracoupleofmouthfuls,notthebestinthestate.

           Lauramadeagreatchili.Sheusedleanmeat,darkkidneybeans,carrotscutsmall,abottleorsoofdarkbeer,andfreshlyslicedhotpeppers.Shewouldletthechilicookforawhile,thenaddredwine,lemonjuiceandapitchoffreshdill,and,finally,measureoutandaddherchilipowders.OnmorethanoneoccasionShadowhadtriedtogethertoshowhimhowshemadeit:hewouldwatcheverythingshedid,fromslicingtheonionsanddroppingthemintotheoliveoilatthebottomofthepot.Hehadevenwrittendowntherecipe,ingredientbyingredient,andhehadoncemadeLaura’schiliforhimselfonaweekendwhenshehadbeenoutoftown.Ithadtastedokay-itwascertainlyedible,butithadnotbeenLaura’schili.

           Thenewsitemonpagesevenwasthefirstaccountofhiswife’sdeaththatShadowhadread.LauraMoon,whoseagewasgiveninthearticleastwenty-seven,andRobbieBurton,thirty-nine,wereinRobbie’scarontheinterstatewhentheyswervedintothepathofathirty-two-wheeler.ThetruckbrushedRobbie’scarandsentitspinningoffthesideoftheroad.

           RescuecrewspulledRobbieandLaurafromthewreckage.Theywerebothdeadbythetimetheyarrivedatthehospital.