#,,#,#,,,, #,##,,#,#,
#,##,#,,,# #,,#,##,#,
#,,#,#,,#, #,##,,#,#,
#,##,#,##, #,,#,##,#,
#,,#,#,,#, #,##,,#,#,
#,##,#,##, 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?" #,,#,##,#,
#,,#,#,,#, #,##,,#,#,
#,##,#,##, #,,#,##,#,
#,,#,#,,#, #,##,,#,#,
#,##,#,##, #,,#,##,#,
#,,#,#,,#, #,##,,#,#,