#...#..##. ....#.#.##
##...#.##. ........#.
###....### #.........
#.##...#.# ##........
..###....# .##.......
..#.##...# 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?" ....#.##..
...###..#. ......###.
...#.##... ......#.##
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###....### #.........