Американские боги
Chapter 4
"Issheyourwife?"askedShadow.
"She’snobody’swife."Theoldmansatinsilenceforamoment,lookingdownathisroughhands."No.Weareallrelatives.Wecomeoverheretogether,longtimeago."
Fromthepocketofhisbathrobe,Czernobogproducedapackofunfilteredcigarettes.Wednesdaypulledoutanarrowgoldlighterandlittheoldman’scigarette."FirstwecometoNewYork,"saidCzernobog."AllourcountrymengotoNewYork.Then,wecomeouthere,toChicago.Everythinggotverybad.Evenintheoldcountry,theyhadnearlyforgottenme.Here,Iamjustabadmemory.YouknowwhatIdidwhenIgottoChicago?"
"No,"saidShadow.
"Igetajobinthemeatbusiness.Onthekillfloor.Whenthesteercomesuptheramp,Iwasaknocker.Youknowwhywearecalledknockers?Isbecausewetakethesledgehammerandweknockthecowdownwithit.Bam!Ittakesstrengthinthearms.Yes?Thentheshacklerchainsthebeefup,haulsitup,thentheycutthethroat.Theydrainthebloodfirstbeforetheycuttheheadoff.Wewerethestrongest,theknockers."Hepushedupthesleeveofhisbathrobe,flexedhisupperarmtodisplaythemusclesstillvisibleundertheoldskin."Isnotjuststrongthough.Therewasanarttoit.Totheblow.Otherwisethecowisjuststunned,orangry.Then,inthefifties,theygiveustheboltgun.Youputittotheforehead,bam!bam!Nowyouthink,anybodycankill.Notso."Hemimedputtingametalboltthroughacow’shead."Itstilltakesskill."Hesmiledatthememory,displayinganiron-coloredtooth.