Американские боги

           Icandancelikeanangel,fightlikeacorneredbear,planbetterthanafox,singlikeanightingale…"

           "Andyourpointhereis…?"

           Nancy’sbrowneyesgazedintoShadow’s."Andtheyneedtogetridofthebodyasmuchasweneedtotakeit."

           Czernobogsaid,"Thereisnosuchneutralplace."

           "There’sone,"saidMr.Nancy."It’sthecenter."

           Czernobogshookhisheadabruptly."No.Theywouldnotmeetusthere.Theycandonothingtous,there.Itisabadplaceforallofus."

           "That’sjustwhythey’veproposedtomakethehandoveratthecenter."

           Czernobogseemedtothinkaboutthisforawhile.Andthenhesaid,"Perhaps."

           "Whenwegetbackontheroad,"saidShadow,"youcandrive.Ineedtosleep."

           Determiningtheexactcenterofanythingcanbeproblematicatbest.Withlivingthings—people,forexample,orcontinents—theproblembecomesoneofintangibles:Whatisthecenterofaman?Whatisthecenterofadream?AndinthecaseofthecontinentalUnitedStates,shouldonecountAlaskawhenoneattemptstofindthecenter?OrHawaii?

           Asthetwentiethcenturybegan,theymadeahugemodeloftheUSA,thelowerforty-eightstates,outofcardboard,andtofindthecentertheybalanceditonapin,untiltheyfoundthesingleplaceitbalanced.