Американские боги

           "

           TheywentacrossthesquaretoMabel’stogether,orderedmugsofhotchocolate.Chadsaid,"Hey.Mike.Haveyoueverthoughtaboutacareerinlawenforcement?"

           Shadowshrugged."Ican’tsayIhave,"hesaid."Seemslikethere’sawholelotofthingsyougottoknow."

           Chadshookhishead."Youknowthemainpartofpolicework,somewherelikethis?It’sjustkeepingyourhead.Somethinghappens,somebody’sscreamingatyou,screamingbluemurder,yousimplyhavetobeabletosaythatyou’resurethatit’sallamistake,andyou’lljustsortitalloutiftheyjuststepoutsidequietly.Andyouhavetobeabletomeanit."

           "Andthenyousortitout?"

           "Mostly,that’swhenyouputhandcuffsonthem.Butyeah,youdowhatyoucantosortitout.Letmeknowifyouwantajob.We’rehiring.Andyou’rethekindofguywewant."

           "I’llkeepthatinmind,ifthethingwithmyunclefallsthrough."

           Theysippedtheirhotchocolate.Mulligansaid,"Say,Mike,whatwouldyoudoifyouhadacousin?Likeawidow.Andshestartedcallingyou?"

           "Callingyouhow?"

           "Onthephone.Longdistance.Shelivesoutofstate."Hischeekscrimsoned."Isawherlastyearatafamilywedding,outinOregon.Shewasmarried,backthen,though,Imean,herhusbandwasstillalive,andshe’sfamily.Notafirstcousin.Prettydistant.