¨~-;$$#### ####$$;-~¨
¨~-;$$#### ####$$;-~¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-$$# #$$-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~;$$$# #$$$;~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨~;;$$## ##$$;;~¨¨¨
¨~-;$$$### Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving ###$$$;-~¨
¨~-;$$#### Along The Rusty Cargo Cars Like Some ####$$;-~¨
¨¨¨¨¨~;$$# Species Of Ferrophage Insect. Up And #$$;~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-$## Down The Train, Checking Bolts, Oiling ##$-¨¨¨¨¨¨
~-;$$##### Joints, Drinking Coffee, Smoking #####$$;-~
¨~-;$$#### Cigarettes. ####$$;-~¨
¨~-;$$#### ####$$;-~¨
¨¨¨-;$$$## ############################## ##$$$;-¨¨¨
¨~-;$$#### ####$$;-~¨
¨~-;$$$$## We Were Going South Through Finland At ##$$$$;-~¨
¨¨¨¨¨~;$$# 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?" ####$$;-~¨
¨¨¨~--$### ###$--~¨¨¨
¨~-;$$#### ####$$;-~¨
¨¨¨¨~~;;$# #$;;~~¨¨¨¨
¨~-;$$#### ####$$;-~¨
¨~~-;;$$$# #$$$;;-~~¨