Американские боги

           ItwasawetMarchday,anditwasunseasonablycold,andthestormsofthepreviousfewdayshadlashedtheirwayacrossthesouthernstates,whichmeantthattherewereveryfewrealtouristsatRockCityonLookoutMountain.TheChristmaslightshadbeentakendown,thesummervisitorswereyettostartarriving.

           Still,therewereanumberofpeoplethere.Therewasevenatourbusthatdrewupthatmorning,releasingadozenmenandwomenwithperfecttansandgleaming,reassuringsmiles.Theylookedlikenewsanchors,andonecouldalmostimaginetherewasaphosphor-dotqualitytothem:theyseemedtoblurgentlyastheymoved.AblackHumveewasparkedinthefrontlotofRockCity,neartoRockytheanimatronicgnome.

           TheTVpeoplewalkedintentlythroughRockCity,stationingthemselvesnearthebalancingrock,wheretheytalkedtoeachotherinpleasant,reasonablevoices.

           Theywerenottheonlyvisitors.IfyouhadwalkedthepathsofRockCitythatday,youmighthavenoticedpeoplewholookedlikemoviestars,andpeoplewholookedlikealiensandanumberofpeoplewholookedmostofallliketheideaofapersonandnothinglikethereality.Youmighthaveseenthem,butmostlikelyyouwouldneverhavenoticedthematall.

           TheycametoRockCityinlonglimousinesandinsmallsportscarsandinoversizedSUVs.Manyofthemworethesunglassesofthosewhohabituallywearsunglassesindoorsandout,anddonotwillinglyorcomfortablyremovethem.