def api(func=None, timeout=API_TIMEOUT):  # incoming
    """
    provide a request/response api
    receives any requests here and return value is the response
    all functions must have the following signature
        - request_id
        - entity (partition/routing key)
        followed by kwargs
    """
    if func is None:
        return partial(api, timeout=timeout)
    else:
        wrapper = _get_api_decorator(func=func, timeout=timeout)
        return wrapper