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Walter and Clarisse had married two weeks ago. The wedding had been a small, quiet occasion between family, and a few close friends. They did not want the event to stir up too much attention amongst their group, as their relationship did not feel rooted yet. Clarisse had encouraged Walter to marry him quickly, often mentioning all that they would be open to exploring once their relationship was permanent, and Walter, attracted to both her suggestions and to the concept of a shared home between husband and wife, proposed. Walter did not understand what Clarisse found so attractive in him, to merit such a quick marriage, but he was a realistic man, and seeing an opportunity to settle down with someone he knew well and found attractive, he did not take his chances, despite their rather boyish friendship.
Walter somewhat expected their commonplace debates and semi-friendly fights– sometimes almost physical ones– over the nature of music and Clarisse's literature would die down after their legal unification, but she only seemed to grow more brash and fightful. Walter held little regret in their relationship, though. It ensured that Clarisse remained his friend, and with this, he could enjoy all of the benefits of being closer than friends with a woman he has loved since he was a boy. Walter could tell that Clarisse thought similarly of him. There was something that attracted her to him, something other than appearances or.personality, and having Walter in a permanent state of being hers reassured her. She expected something great of Walter, and Walter was certain he could bring her that greatness. Before his marriage, his music had been improving rather quickly, and although their marriage had dampened his kmprovement, he was certain that as soon as he had adapted to his new routine, his music would improve again, perhaps even faster. He was certain that it was only a matter of time before his name was placed against few hundred below those of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. With time, and with patience, talent is recognized. He knew he was no where near the greats, nor even the Greats, and that it was an unreachable goal to expect that level of growth, but he knew he belonged in close proximity to a podium.
Ulrich was coming to visit. Clarisse was very excited– neither of them had seen their old friend since he had just left the military, and had been in search of a place to stay before his university studies began.
He had been an odd fellow then, and from their letters, Walter and Clarisse could tell he had grown beyond his nervous, strict military phase. The language of their letters had grown more gentle since then, and their length had grown tenfold. What would once be a simple explanation of his current place in society, along with his plans for the week, or the odd exciting event with his acquaintances of the time had changed to long, rambling letters on the nature of.. thing. It was as if his perception had shifted from being focused on that which is in front of him, to the wider world itself. He had grown from the troposphere to the mesosphere, and was gazing towards the unfathomable void of space. Clarisse could sense something in him, he held the potential to be of Great Importance. When she told this to Walter, he doubted her. Ulrich was switching between not only careers, but modes of life, like a tadpole who goes to land as a frog, only to hop to a new basin to soak in only briefly enough to hop out again. All this did was waste his energy in modes of life that he need not plunge into at all. If he simply remained where he had been, he would find that it fit him well, with time. It was against man's nature to stumble about in such a disorderly manner. It was against society's nature.
Walter was pacing near the door anxiously, while Clarisse played a wandering tune on the piano. He could not remember Ulrich's face, which added to his general fear and distrust of the man. Oddly enough, Clarisse could not remember it either. She was sure he had a sort of hook nose, though, which Walter strongly disagreed with. It was straight! Like his jaw! But his jaw was uneven! Clarisse had argued, but she doubted her words as they came out, and the two of them left their small debate more confused than before.
Suddenly, Walter stopped in his tracks. "I remember! He-" but before he could share with Clarisse from across the floor what he believed Ulrich to look like, they were interrupted with the loud buzzing of the doorbell. It had been held slightly too long, which caused it to grow louder than usual, and Walter grimaced in pain. He lost his train of thought as he opened the door, and though he tried to compare the visage in front of him to that in his mind, he found that he could not place what he had just been imagining.
He turned his head around, shouting back into the house, "He's here!," before welcoming Ulrich in with a waving hand and many small 'welcome's.