,......... .........,
.......... ..........
,......... .........,
~,........ ........,~
;~,....... .......,~;
%;~,...... 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?" ......,~;%
&%;~,..... .....,~;%&
@&%;~,.... ....,~;%&@
#@&%;~,... ...,~;%&@#
@#@&%;~,.. ..,~;%&@#@
#@#@&%;~,. .,~;%&@#@#