##@§@^/~..                                          ..~/^@§@##
##@§@^/~..                                          ..~/^@§@##
§§@^^/....                                          ..../^^@§§
§§@@//~~..                                          ..~~//@@§§
##@§@^/~..                                          ..~/^@§@##
##@§@^/~..  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?"                 ..~/^@§@@#
§@^^/.....                                          ...../^^@§
##@§@^/~..                                          ..~/^@§@##
###@@^/~..                                          ..~/^@@###
§^~.......                                          .......~^§
##@§@^/~..                                          ..~/^@§@##