.....,«=†¤                                          ¤†=«,.....
......,«=†                                          †=«,......
.......,«=                                          =«,.......
........,«                                          «,........
.......,«=                                          =«,.......
......,«=†  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?"                 «,........
.......,«=                                          =«,.......
......,«=†                                          †=«,......
.....,«=†¤                                          ¤†=«,.....
....,«=†¤£                                          £¤†=«,....
...,«=†¤£@                                          @£¤†=«,...