*/«....... .......«/*
%*/«...... ......«/*%
§%*/«..... .....«/*%§
#§%*/«.... ....«/*%§#
##§%*/«... ...«/*%§##
###§%*/«.. 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?" ..«/*%§###
##§%*/«... ...«/*%§##
#§%*/«.... ....«/*%§#
§%*/«..... .....«/*%§
%*/«...... ......«/*%
*/«....... .......«/*