...,«:§$&#                                          #&$§:«,...
....,«:§$&                                          &$§:«,....
.....,«:§$                                          $§:«,.....
......,«:§                                          §:«,......
.......,«:                                          :«,.......
......,«:§  Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving  §:«,......
.....,«:§$ 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?"                 ##&$§:«,..
...,«:§$&#                                          #&$§:«,...
....,«:§$&                                          &$§:«,....
.....,«:§$                                          $§:«,.....
......,«:§                                          §:«,......
.......,«:                                          :«,.......