Американские боги

           Theymaybragaboutthenightstheywon,themoneytheytookfromthecasino,buttheytreasure,secretlytreasure,thetimestheylost.It’sasacrifice,ofsorts.

           Themoneyflowsthroughthecasinoinanuninterruptedstreamofgreenandsilver,streamingfromhandtohand,fromgamblertocroupier,tocashier,tothemanagement,tosecurity,finallyendingupintheHolyofHolies,theinnermostsanctum,theCountingRoom.Anditishere,inthecountingroomofthiscasino,thatyoucometorest,here,wherethegreenbacksaresorted,stacked,indexed,hereinaspacethatisslowlybecomingredundantasmoreandmoreofthemoneythatflowsthroughthecasinoisimaginary:anelectricalsequenceofonsandoffs,sequencesthatflowdowntelephonelines.

           IntheCountingRoomyouseethreemen,countingmoneyundertheglassystareofthecamerastheycansee,theinsectilegazesofthetinycamerastheycannotsee.Duringthecourseofoneshifteachofthemencountsmoremoneythanhewillseeinallthepaypacketsofhislife.Eachman,whenhesleeps,dreamsofcountingmoney,ofstacksandpaperbandsandnumberswhichclimbinevitably,whicharesortedandlost.Eachofthethreemenhasidlywondered,notlessthanonceaweek,howtoevadethecasino’ssecuritysystemsandrunoffwithasmuchmoneyashecouldhaul;and,reluctantly,eachmanhasinspectedthedreamandfounditimpractical,hassettledforasteadypaycheck,avoidedthetwinspectersofprisonandanunmarkedgrave.