Американские боги

           Hinzelmanneasedoffthemetaltopofthebox,revealinganotebookandbooksofblanktickets,andsaid,"Howmanyyouwantmetoputyoudownfor?"

           "Howmanyofwhat?"

           "Klunkertickets.She’llgooutontotheicetoday,sowe’vestartedsellingtickets.Eachticketistendollars,fiveforforty,tenforseventy-five.Oneticketbuysyoufiveminutes.Ofcoursewecan’tpromiseit’llgodowninyourfiveminutes,butthepersonwho’scloseststandstowinfivehundredbucks,andifitgoesdowninyourfiveminutes,youwinathousanddollars.Theearlieryoubuyyourtickets,themoretimesaren’tspokenfor.Youwanttoseetheinfosheet?"

           "Sure."

           HinzelmannhandedShadowaphotocopiedsheet.Theklunkerwasanoldcarwithitsengineandfueltankremoved,whichwouldbeparkedoutontheiceforthewinter.Sometimeinthespringthelakeicewouldmelt,andwhenitwastoothintobearthecar’sweightthecarwouldfallintothelake.TheearliesttheklunkerhadevertumbledintothelakewasFebruarythetwenty-seventh("Thatwasthewinterof1998.Idon’tthinkyoucouldrightlycallthatawinteratall"),thelatestwasMaythefirst("Thatwas1950.Seemedthatyearthattheonlywaythatwinterwouldendwasifsomebodyhammeredastakethroughitsheart").ThebeginningofAprilappearedtobethemostcommontimeforthecartosink—normallyinmid-afternoon.