Американские боги

           ChadMulliganwasinlovewithMargueriteOlsenhimself.Hewonderedifthemanknewhowobviousitwas.

           Mulliganpulledoutoncemore,lightsflashing,andpulledoversometeenagersdoingsixty.Hedidn’tticketthem,"justputthefearofGodinthem."

           ThateveningShadowsatatthekitchentabletryingtofigureouthowtotransformasilverdollarintoapenny.ItwasatrickhehadfoundinPerplexingParlourIllusionsbuttheinstructionswereinfuriating,unhelpful,andvague.Phraseslike"thenvanishthepennyintheusualway"occurredeverysentenceorso.Inthiscontext,Shadowwondered,whatwas"theusualway"?AFrenchdrop?Sleevingit?Shouting"Ohmygod,lookout—amountainlion!"anddroppingthecoinintohissidepocketwhiletheaudience’sattentionwasdiverted?

           Hetossedhissilverdollarintotheair,caughtit,rememberingthemoonandthewomanwhogaveittohim,thenheattemptedtheillusion.Itdidn’tseemtowork.Hewalkedintothebathroomandtrieditinfrontofthemirror,andconfirmedthathewasright.Thetrickaswrittensimplydidn’twork.Hesighed,droppedthecoinsinhispocketandsatdownonthecouch.HespreadthecheapthrowrugoverhislegsandflippedopentheMinutesoftheLakesideCouncil1872–1884.Thetype,intwocolumns,wassosmallastobealmostunreadable.