Американские боги

           "Whothefuck’sHerodotus?"askedtheIceman,slottingtogetherthesidesofabirdfeederandpassingittoShadow,whoboltedandscrewedittight.

           "DeadGreek,"saidShadow.

           "MylastgirlfriendwasGreek,"saidtheIceman."Theshitherfamilyate.Youwouldnotbelieve.Likericewrappedinleaves.Shitlikethat."

           TheIcemanwasthesamesizeandshapeasaCokemachine,withblueeyesandhairsoblonditwasalmostwhite.HehadbeatenthecrapoutofsomeguywhohadmadethemistakeofcoppingafeeloffhisgirlfriendinthebarwhereshedancedandtheIcemanbounced.Theguy’sfriendshadcalledthepolice,whoarrestedtheIcemanandranacheckonhimwhichrevealedthattheIcemanhadwalkedfromawork-releaseprogrameighteenmonthsearlier.

           "SowhatwasIsupposedtodo?"askedtheIceman,aggrieved,whenhehadtoldShadowthewholesadtale."I’dtoldhimshewasmygirlfriend.WasIsupposedtolethimdisrespectmelikethat?WasI?Imean,hehadhishandsalloverher."

           Shadowhadsaid,"Youtell’em,"andleftitatthat.Onethinghehadlearnedearly,youdoyourowntimeinprison.Youdon’tdoanyoneelse’stimeforthem.

           Keepyourheaddown.Doyourowntime.

           LyesmithhadloanedShadowabatteredpaperbackcopyofHerodotus’sHistoriesseveralmonthsearlier."It’snotboring.It’scool,"hesaid,whenShadowprotestedthathedidn’treadbooks."Readitfirst,thentellmeit’scool."

           Shadowhadmadeaface,buthehadstartedtoread,andhadfoundhimselfhookedagainsthiswill.