,,^~***£&# #&£***~^,,
,,,,,~**£# #£**~,,,,,
,^~**££££# #££££**~^,
,,,,^^**£& &£**^^,,,,
,,,,,~*£## ##£*~,,,,,
,^~**&#### 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?" ###&£**~^,
,,,^~*£&&& &&&£*~^,,,
,^~**£££&# #&£££**~^,
,,^~~**£&# #&£**~~^,,
,^~**£&### ###&£**~^,
,^~**£&### ###&£**~^,