,:=*$§§&&&                                          &&&§§$*=:,
,:=*$§&###                                          ###&§$*=:,
,,,,:::=$&                                          &$=:::,,,,
,:=*$§&###                                          ###&§$*=:,
,,,,:=$§##                                          ##§$=:,,,,
,:=*$§&###  Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving  ###&§$*=:,
,,,::*$&&& Along  The  Rusty Cargo  Cars  Like Some &&&$*::,,,
,,:=**$§§# Species Of  Ferrophage  Insect.  Up  And #§§$**=:,,
,,,::*$§&# Down  The Train, Checking  Bolts, Oiling #&§$*::,,,
,,,,,:=*§&     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?"                  &§*=,,,,,,
,,,,,:=*$&                                          &$*=:,,,,,
,:=*$§&### After He'S Brought  Me  Coffee,  I  Dial ###&§$*=:,
,,::==$§&# The Frequency  From  His  Notebook,  And #&§$==::,,
,:=**$§§&# After  A  While  There'S  A   Reply   In #&§§$**=:,
,:=*$§&### Pan-Slavic.  Karl  Laughs  And  Makes  A ###&§$*=:,
,:=*$§&### Reply  In The Same Language. Even Though ###&§$*=:,
,:=*$§&### We Both Have Headphones  I  Can'T Follow ###&§$*=:,
,:=*$§&### At All, But  I Hear The Word "Missile" A ###&§$*=:,
,:=====$$&                Few Times.                &$$=====:,
,,:=**$§§&                                          &§§$**=:,,
,:=*$§&&&& I'M  Almost  Snoozing Again  At The Time &&&&§$*=:,
,:=*$§&### Karl Puts  Down The Headphones And Slaps ###&§$*=:,
,,,,,=*$&# Me  On  My  Back. "Allright  Boy. I Just #&$*=,,,,,
,,,==$$&&# Sold  A  Missile." He  Practically Beams #&&$$==,,,
,,,,:*$&## At Me, Teeth Filed Sharp. "Wanna Make  A ##&$*:,,,,
,:=*$§&###                 Detour?"                 ###&§$*=:,
,,:==**$$&                                          &$$**==:,,
,:=*$§&###                                          ###&§$*=:,
,:=***$&&&                                          &&&$***=:,
,:=*$§&###                                          ###&§$*=:,
,,,,:::=$&                                          &$=:::,,,,