,.=^^&¤### ###¤&^^=.,
,,,,.^^&¤# #¤&^^.,,,,
,.=^^¤#### ####¤^^=.,
,,,.==^¤## ##¤^==.,,,
,,,,,,=^&# #&^=,,,,,,
,.=^^&¤### 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?" ###¤&^^=.,
,.=^^^&&&¤ ¤&&&^^^=.,
,.=^^&&&¤# #¤&&&^^=.,
,.=^&¤#### ####¤&^=.,
,.=^^&¤### ###¤&^^=.,
,.=^^&¤### ###¤&^^=.,