####,####,                                          ,,,,,,,,##
,,,,##,,,#                                          ,,,,,,,,#,
,,,,#,#,,#                                          ,,,,,,,,##
#,,,####,#                                          #,,,,,,,#,
##,,#,,,##                                          ##,,,,,,##
,,#,##,,#,  orange-clad train-climber crew, moving  #,#,,,,,#,
,,###,#,## along  the rusty  cargo cars  like  some ####,,,,##
#,#,,####, species  of ferrophage  insect.  up  and ,,,,#,,,#,
####,#,,,# down the  train, checking  bolts, oiling #,,,##,,##
,,,,###,,#     joints, drinking coffee, smoking     ,#,,#,#,#,
,,,,#,,#,#                cigarettes.               ,##,######
#,,,##,###                                          ##,##,,,,,
##,,#,##,,      ##############################      ,,##,#,,,,
#,#,###,#,                                          #,#,###,,,
#####,,### we were going south  through finland  at ,####,,#,,
#,,,,#,#,, the   time,   sleeping  close   to   the ##,,,#,##,
##,,,####,  furnace, watching the aurora borealis.  #,#,,###,#
,,#,,#,,,#   twenty-something members of the crew,  ####,#,,##
#,##,##,,# most   of   which  were  mechanics,   or ,,,,###,#,
###,##,#,# loaders,  with  large  and  hairy  hands ,,,,#,,###
,,,##,#### that could  swallow my entire body.  and #,,,##,#,,
,,,#,##,,, me  featuring  as the  cute and  asocial ##,,#,###,
,,,###,#,, radio  operator,  stationed in the  back ,,#,###,,#
#,,#,,###,    of the kilometer-long train, which    #,###,,#,#
,#,##,#,,#         served me good and well.         ,##,,#,###
####,###,#                                          ##,#,###,,
#,,,##,,## and  then one night, there's a  missile. ,,####,,#,
##,,#,#,#, we would  routinely pick up new cars  at #,#,,,#,##
,,#,###### the tail, and  drop  some off, as  a way ####,,###,
,,###,,,,, of  earning  some  extra  money.  but  a ,,,,#,#,,#
#,#,,#,,,, missile, and  appearing  silently in the ,,,,####,#
,###,##,,, middle   of  the  night  at   that?  not ,,,,#,,,##
##,,##,#,,         entirely... comfortable.         #,,,##,,#,
#,#,#,###,                                          ##,,#,#,##
,######,,# i  call it in on  the walkie-talkie. not ,,#,#####,
,#,,,,,#,# many  others  awake,  they know  nothing #,###,,,,#
###,,,,### about it,  and appear concerned as well. ,##,,#,,,#
,,,#,,,#,,                                          ,#,#,##,,#
#,,##,,##,      ##############################      ######,#,#
,#,#,#,#,#                                          #,,,,,####
########## when  i  fall  awake  in  the afternoon, ##,,,,#,,,
#,,,,,,,,, karl  is  there,  smiling  at  me.  "hey #,#,,,##,,
##,,,,,,,, boy," he says,  "wanna  help  me  make a ,###,,#,#,
#,#,,,,,,,                  call?"                  ,#,,#,####
,###,,,,,,                                          ###,###,,,
,#,,#,,,,, after  he's  brought me  coffee, i  dial ,,,##,,#,,
,##,##,,,, the frequency  from  his  notebook,  and ,,,#,#,##,
,#,##,#,,, after  a   while  there's   a  reply  in #,,#####,#
####,###,, pan-slavic.  karl  laughs  and  makes  a ,#,#,,,,##
,,,,##,,#, reply in the same language. even  though #####,,,#,
,,,,#,#,## we  both have headphones  i can't follow #,,,,#,,##
#,,,#####, at  all, but i hear the word "missile" a ##,,,##,#,
##,,#,,,,#                few times.                #,#,,#,###
,,#,##,,,#                                          ####,###,,
,,###,#,,# i'm almost snoozing  again at  the  time #,,,##,,#,
,,#,,###,# karl puts down  the headphones and slaps ,#,,#,#,##
#,##,#,,## me  on  my back. "allright  boy. i  just ,##,#####,
###,###,#, sold  a  missile." he  practically beams ##,##,,,,#
,,,##,,### at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna  make a #,##,#,,,#
#,,#,#,#,,                 detour?"                 ###,###,,#
,#,######,                                          #,,##,,#,#
####,,,,,#                                          ,#,#,#,###
,,,,#,,,,#                                          ########,,
,,,,##,,,#                                          ,,,,,,,,#,
,,,,#,#,,#                                          ,,,,,,,,##