.....--†%$                                          $%†--.....
....--†%$£                                          £$%†--....
...--†%$£#                                          #£$%†--...
..--†%$£##                                          ##£$%†--..
.--†%$£###                                          ###£$%†--.
..--†%$£##  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?"                 ##£$%†--..
.--†%$£###                                          ###£$%†--.
..--†%$£##                                          ##£$%†--..
...--†%$£#                                          #£$%†--...
....--†%$£                                          £$%†--....
.....--†%$                                          $%†--.....