.&.&&..&.& &&..&.&.&.
.&&&.&.&&& &.&.&&&&&&
&&..&&&&.. .&&&&.....
&.&.&...&. .&...&....
&&&&&&..&& &&&..&&...
&.....&.&. 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?" ...&&&&...
&....&&&.& &..&...&..
&&...&..&& &&.&&..&&.
&.&..&&.&. ..&&.&.&.&
.&&&.&.&&& &.&.&&&&&&
&&..&&&&.. .&&&&.....