..:::==$##                                          ##$==:::..
....:^$$##                                          ##$$^:....
.....:^$#@                                          @#$^:.....
.:=^=$##@#                                          #@##$=^=:.
.:=^=$##@#                                          #@##$=^=:.
.:=^=$##@#  ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING  #@##$=^=:.
.:=^=$##@# ALONG  THE  RUSTY  CARGO  CARS LIKE SOME #@##$=^=:.
.:=^===$## SPECIES  OF  FERROPHAGE INSECT.  UP  AND ##$===^=:.
.:=^=$##@# DOWN THE  TRAIN, CHECKING BOLTS,  OILING #@##$=^=:.
.:=^=$##@#     JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING     #@##$=^=:.
.:=^=$####                CIGARETTES.               ####$=^=:.
.:=^=$#@##                                          ##@#$=^=:.
.....==###      ##############################      ###==.....
....:==$##                                          ##$==:....
.:=^=$##@@ WE  WERE GOING SOUTH THROUGH FINLAND  AT @@##$=^=:.
.:=^=$##@# THE   TIME,   SLEEPING  CLOSE   TO   THE #@##$=^=:.
...:^^^$$#  FURNACE, WATCHING THE AURORA BOREALIS.  #$$^^^:...
.:=^=$$$##   TWENTY-SOMETHING MEMBERS OF THE CREW,  ##$$$=^=:.
.:=^=$##@@ MOST  OF  WHICH   WERE   MECHANICS,   OR @@##$=^=:.
....===### 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 @#====....
.:=^=$$$$#                FEW TIMES.                #$$$$=^=:.
.:=^=$####                                          ####$=^=:.
.:=====##@ I'M ALMOST SNOOZING  AGAIN AT  THE  TIME @##=====:.
.:=^=$##@# KARL PUTS  DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS #@##$=^=:.
.:=^=$##@@ ME  ON MY  BACK. "ALLRIGHT  BOY.  I JUST @@##$=^=:.
....=^^$## SOLD  A MISSILE."  HE  PRACTICALLY BEAMS ##$^^=....
:=^=$##@## AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA  MAKE A ##@##$=^=:
...:^^^=$#                 DETOUR?"                 #$=^^^:...
..::::==$#                                          #$==::::..
.:=^=$##@#                                          #@##$=^=:.
.:=^=$###@                                          @###$=^=:.
.:===^=$##                                          ##$=^===:.
.....=^$$#                                          #$$^=.....