...^=\†%¤#                                          #¤%†\=^...
....^=\†%¤                                          ¤%†\=^....
...^=\†%¤#                                          #¤%†\=^...
..^=\†%¤##                                          ##¤%†\=^..
.^=\†%¤###                                          ###¤%†\=^.
..^=\†%¤##  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?"                 ##¤%†\=^..
...^=\†%¤#                                          #¤%†\=^...
....^=\†%¤                                          ¤%†\=^....
...^=\†%¤#                                          #¤%†\=^...
..^=\†%¤##                                          ##¤%†\=^..
.^=\†%¤###                                          ###¤%†\=^.