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