###£%§^~:.                                          .:~^§%£###
###£%§^~:.                                          .:~^§%£###
###£%§^~:.                                          .:~^§%£###
##£%§~....                                          ....~§%£##
#££§~.....                                          .....~§££#
##%%§^~...  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?"                 .:~^§%£###
###£%§^~:.                                          .:~^§%£###
###£%§^~:.                                          .:~^§%£###
##%§§^:...                                          ...:^§§%##
###£%§^~:.                                          .:~^§%£###
££§§^:....                                          ....:^§§££