Snow Angel

                Snow Angel

                Written by Vladmir Angelblazer, 2024-12-12

(The story of Pierre-Paul and Bella, as they told it to me before officially sealing their union in marriage—but it seems the heavens had already taken care of them!)

       In the quiet, rain-kissed city of Victoria, British Columbia, among the ivy-clad halls of the University of Victoria, a peculiar love story began to bloom. It was a story marked by laughter, intellectual duels, and a touch of absurdity, as two young dreamers—Pierre-Paul and Bella—found themselves entangled in the intricate dance of fate and affection.

       Bella first noticed Pierre in the Fraser Building during an Anthropology 100 lecture. He was seated with his friend Phil, and the pair exuded an aura so unmistakably French that Bella felt an immediate compulsion to sit nearby. Her plan was straightforward: practice French, improve fluency, and eventually transfer to the University of Ottawa. Pierre, with his chiseled concentration and resolute silence, seemed a promising challenge.

       But engaging Pierre was like attempting to charm a stone gargoyle perched high on a cathedral. He was there for the lecture, and Bella's chatter was an unwelcome intrusion. Yet Bella, armed with tenacity and a repertoire of clever remarks, chipped away at his stoicism. “If I talk long enough,” she mused, “he’ll have no choice but to reply.” And reply he did. The initial exchange was brusque, but it became the first crack in Pierre’s armor. From that moment, their daily conversations unfurled like pages in an ever-evolving story.

       Their first official outing was both quintessentially Bella and comically mundane—a nomination meeting for local politicians Lana Popham, Rob Fleming, and John Horgan. Bella, needing to fill the room, dragged Pierre along. The drudgery of political speeches was broken by an unexpected snowfall. As the meeting concluded, they stepped outside into a winter wonderland, where Bella declared, “We’re making snow angels!” Pierre, initially hesitant, found himself swept up in the moment. Lying on the snowy ground, flapping their arms and legs, they laughed and sang Brand New Key. ( Brand New Key" is a pop song written by folk singer Melanie, which became a novelty hit in 1971-72)

       By the second date, Pierre’s eccentricities came into full view. He handed Bella a copy of Noam Chomsky’s Failed State, announcing that they’d discuss it on their third date. Bella, though perplexed, accepted the challenge. Over coffee and annotations, their budding romance was cemented, not by candlelight and roses, but by a spirited debate over political theory.

       Pierre’s passion for order and Bella’s chaotic exuberance became the foundation of their love. It was during his first president of UVSS election win that Bella, caught in the fervor of his success and his endearing declaration of wanting to attend a Robert’s Rules convention, blurted out, “I love you.” It was sincere and spontaneous, but it was also met with Pierre’s wide-eyed panic—a moment Bella would never let him live down.

       Not all moments were rosy. Five months in, Pierre convinced Bella to embark on a three-day backpacking trip. She was ill-prepared, both physically and mentally. “I hate you,” she muttered on the first day as she stumbled over roots and cursed her inadequate boots. By the second day, the initial misery gave way to humor, and by the third, she realized she’d follow him anywhere—into the wilderness or the stormy seas of life.

       Their journey together spanned years of triumphs and trials. They navigated political campaigns, late-night study sessions, and global adventures—from the lavender fields of France to the bustling streets of Singapore. Through every challenge, Pierre remained Bella’s steady anchor, and Bella, his unyielding muse.

       One of Bella’s favorite memories came on her birthday, when Pierre presented her with a Tiffany necklace engraved with his initials. It was a nod to her favorite Taylor Swift lyric and a testament to Pierre’s quiet attentiveness. (Taylor Swift song has a line that goes, “I want to wear his initials on a chain around my neck… not because he owns me, but because he really knows me.”) “He really knows me,” Bella marveled, “in all the ways that matter.”

       Seven years after their serendipitous meeting, Pierre brought Bella to Montreal, his hometown. They walked through the park where Pierre-Paul had once swung between his parents’ arms as a child, and then hand in hand, Peter and Bella climbed the steps of Saint Joseph’s Oratory. At Saint Joseph’s Oratory, as they stood beneath its towering dome, Pierre knelt on one knee. “Will you marry me?” he asked, his voice trembling with earnestness. For Bella, the answer had been written in the snow all those years ago.

       Their love had weathered every season, grown stronger with each challenge, and illuminated their lives with a brilliance they could only have dreamed of filled with quirks, debates, and endless snow angels. It is proof that even in the mundane halls of a university lecture, magic can spark, and two unlikely hearts can find their home in each other.