This is what I built around the metaphor in the story. I thought of it in bed last night and wrote it down. I was rather pleased with it, so I wanted to use it in something right away. I realize it's not unheard-of but humor me, huh?
M*A*S*H isn't mine (Good lord I wish it was!) but there can never be enough M*A*S*H, so here's more. Please R and R.
***
Hawkeye Pierce had a date. Now, this wasn't an uncommon occurrence but it still pleased him greatly. Tonight's lucky lady was Nurse Jennifer Powells. Red hair, everything a nurse kept in her uniform was in all the right places, and sweet. Hawkeye whistled as he shaved.
He waved cheerfully at BJ as he left the Swamp.
Autumn had come again to Korea and he shoved his hands deep in his pockets while he strolled over to Jennifer's quarters. Soon they would all be freezing their behinds off but as yet it was pleasant, at least during the day.
He tapped on the door when he reached the nurses' tent and was invited to enter by Jennifer. He gave her a big smile and was about to say something witty and creative until he saw her face.
She looked like her dog had just died. That was ridiculous, of course. The only one around here with a dog was Radar and Hawkeye knew for a fact they were all fine because he had seen Radar on the way over and he was feeding said dog.
"What's wrong?" Hawkeye asked.
She shrugged. "What do you want to do for our date?"
Hawkeye's smile changed and he said, "Anything you want." He sat beside her and tried to say something else but she still had that look…"What's wrong?" He asked again.
She stared at him for a moment. "Winter's coming." She finally answered.
"Yeah."
"I hate winter."
"Here, I do too,"
Jennifer looked like she wanted to say something else but it didn't make it past the thought stage. She shook her head and tried to smile for him.
Hawkeye sighed. Dates were no fun when half of it was this unhappy. He took her hand and said, "Tell me. Why don't you like winter?"
Jennifer looked at her hand in his and when she looked up he was surprised to see a tear trailing down her cheek. "It's death. All I ever see is death."
Ah-ha. He smiled gently at her and thought fast. "Don't think of winter as death, Jennifer. Think…think of the year as a woman." He stopped, pleased with himself as the metaphor came to him. "The year is a woman. In the spring she wakes up and starts to get dressed, and as the year goes on she keeps changing her clothes and things to fit the occasion.
"In the fall, it's a big dinner party at the Ritz and she puts on the most beautiful thing she owns, and when it's over she does home, takes everything off and puts on a white nightgown to sleep in till morning."
As he spoke, Hawkeye watched the light come on in Jennifer's eyes. "I like that." She said.
"I'm glad. Feel better?"
She nodded.
His smile changed again and he brought the hand he was holding up to his lips.
Thanks for reading this far. Have a nice day and the review button is right there. :-)