,,,,,,~=†§                                          §†=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=†§£                                          £§†=~,,,,,
,,,,~=†§£@                                          @£§†=~,,,,
,,,~=†§£@#                                          #@£§†=~,,,
,,~=†§£@##                                          ##@£§†=~,,
,,,~=†§£@#  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?"                 †=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=†§                                          §†=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=†§£                                          £§†=~,,,,,
,,,,~=†§£@                                          @£§†=~,,,,
,,,~=†§£@#                                          #@£§†=~,,,
,,~=†§£@##                                          ##@£§†=~,,