Disclaimer: The main characters don't belong to me, but the rest does.

(Strongly) suggested listening: "Yeoman I have a song to sing 1975"

Dear Diary,

Today, during lunch, Meg and I had an argument over whether true love at first sight was possible. I posited that yes, Meg insisted that no.

So, of course, I took the argument to Mr. Destler.

"Sir, do you believe in the possibility of true love at first sight?"

Mr. Destler stared at me for a second, and I thought I'd said something wrong again, but then he said:

"I do."

"Really?" I was surprised, but pleased. "You see, Meg and I were arguing over this. I said the same thing as you, but Meg said that while 'true love' exists, and 'love at first sight' as well, 'true love at first sight' is not only wildly improbable, but really quite impossible."

"Well, there is some sense in that, but I nonetheless disagree."

"I do too, but the problem is that I don't know any real-life examples, which makes it very difficult to argue my case… Do you know any?"

"Real-life examples?" Mr. Destler chuckled. "That I do!"

Aha!

"Well, what are they?" I anxiously asked.

Mr. Destler seemed taken aback. "Oh, you, um… want me to tell you?"

"Yes, please!"

After a minute of thoughtful silence, Mr. Destler asked me:

"Are you at all familiar with Russian history?"

"Aside from the basic stuff - not really. Why?"

Mr. Destler went into teacher mode.

"There was this man - Lieutenant Schmidt - who is mostly known today for his involvement in the Sevastopol Uprising during the Russian Revolution of 1905. However, this is not why I mention him."

"He fell in love?"

"Yes."

Mr. Destler fiddled with his tie (the blue one!) as he spoke.

"One evening, on a train, he met a woman. Something in her face touched him, and he engaged her in conversation. They spoke for forty minutes, and then she had to get off the train. They spoke for just forty minutes - and yet, after those forty minutes, he loved her as much as any man has ever loved a woman."

"Did he ever see her again?"

"Yes - twice. You see, he had gotten her address from her right before she'd gotten off the train, and then countless beautiful love letters ensued. You ought to read them - I think they were published. Unfortunately, he was soon imprisoned for his involvement in the rebellion, and sentenced to death. She was able to visit him once in his cell, for just a few minutes. She also attended his trial, where they parted forever after a brief hug."

I sighed.

"That's a beautiful story. But true love is based on a meeting of souls - how can you determine that in less than an hour?"

"In much less than an hour - he was already in love with her when he first spoke to her. All it took was one glance."

"But how does that work?"

"You see a face - and instantly you know that it's the face that has haunted all your dreams up to that moment; in your dreams, it was always half-veiled, but now you know that this was what was beyond that veil. It's not just an infatuation with a pretty face, though. From that moment on, everything she says or does is nothing more than a confirmation of that initial impression. The beautiful soul you had guessed in that first moment is slowly unfolding before you like a flower. And recognizing beauty isn't idealization, merely realism."

I didn't know Mr. Destler could speak so well. I was going to thank him, but that's when the principal walked in.

Mr. Richard, our principal, is a tall, dashing, middle-aged man, with a neatly-trimmed beard, and on the whole very cultivated and charming. He is also a big Gilbert & Sullivan enthusiast.

"Mr. Destler! Christine." He gave me a little bow. "Sorry for interrupting your lesson."

He turned to Mr. Destler. "I just wanted to see if you could be persuaded to participate in our winter showcase? Mr. Ahmadi assures me you have a beautiful voice."

The "winter showcase" is a show in which teachers perform Gilbert & Sullivan songs as a way of raising funds, and also "dispelling the wintery gloom" (according to Mr. Richard).

Mr. Destler stared at Mr. Richard for a short moment, then said:

"Actually, I could be persuaded, if you could be persuaded to let me perform with Miss Daaé."

(The show is normally reserved for teachers.)

"I-…" He looked at me, and from his look I saw that he'd just remembered I was 'that poor girl who got attacked'. "Of course. But what would you sing?"

"The Merryman and his Maid."

"From 'The Yeomen of the Guard'! Wonderful!" Mr. Richard clasped his hands together. "We normally just stick to 'The Mikado' and 'The Pirates of Penzance', so this will be a welcome addition to our program. I'll be looking forward to it!"

He nodded and smiled, and then he was gone.

I turned to Mr. Destler.

"Miss Daaé, I think it's past time you had your first public performance."