,,,,,,.~*$ $*~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~*$$ $$*~.,,,,,
,,,,.~*$$¤ ¤$$*~.,,,,
,,,.~*$$¤# #¤$$*~.,,,
,,.~*$$¤## ##¤$$*~.,,
,.~*$$¤### Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving ###¤$$*~.,
,,.~*$$¤## Along The Rusty Cargo Cars Like Some ##¤$$*~.,,
,,,.~*$$¤# Species Of Ferrophage Insect. Up And #¤$$*~.,,,
,,,,.~*$$¤ Down The Train, Checking Bolts, Oiling ¤$$*~.,,,,
,,,,,.~*$$ Joints, Drinking Coffee, Smoking $$*~.,,,,,
,,,,,,.~*$ 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 $*~.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~* Detour?" *~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~*$ $*~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~*$$ $$*~.,,,,,
,,,,.~*$$¤ ¤$$*~.,,,,
,,,.~*$$¤# #¤$$*~.,,,
,,.~*$$¤## ##¤$$*~.,,