,,,:«*†@##                                          ##@†*«:,,,
,,,,:«*†@#                                          #@†*«:,,,,
,,,,,:«*†@                                          @†*«:,,,,,
,,,,,,:«*†                                          †*«:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:«*                                          *«:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:«*†  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?"                 ###@†*«:,,
,,,:«*†@##                                          ##@†*«:,,,
,,,,:«*†@#                                          #@†*«:,,,,
,,,,,:«*†@                                          @†*«:,,,,,
,,,,,,:«*†                                          †*«:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:«*                                          *«:,,,,,,,