You Can Go Now, Winter

Oh, it’s time to start livin’
Time to take a little from this world we’re given
Time to take time
’Cause spring will turn to fall
In just no time at all….
—Berthe, from Pippin

“Hey Greg.”
“Hey Winter.”
“I’m making some sugar-free cocoa. It’ll be ready in a minute.”
“That’s OK. I don’t want any.”
“And I’m gonna fix that tear in your parka.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I left the shovel by the door, right where you can get to it.”
“Listen, Winter, you have to get going.”
“Hold on, I’m turning up the thermostat. Ooh, cocoa’s ready.”
“No, I told you.”

“Fine. You want tea?”
“Winter. It’s over.”
“What’s over?”
“You. Me. We. You’re out of my life.”
“Don’t be silly. Our six-month anniversary is this week.”
“We’re not celebrating it.”
“What are you talking about? You love commemorating anniversaries.”
“Not this one. We’re through.”

“But what about all the fun we had?”
“It wasn’t fun.”
“How could you say that? Think of all the good times we’ve had since that night in early October I moved in?”
“I let you in because I had no choice. You showed up the second last season ended and I couldn’t turn you away.”
“And you’re glad you did.”
“No, I’m not. It was always going to be temporary. It just felt like an eternity.”
“Oh, come on. What about all those nights we spent watching TV?”
“That’s because there was no Mets game on.”
“We went to that Jets game together.”
“Because there was no Mets game to go to.”
“And that Nets game — you loved Barclays Center.”
“I liked it fine but would have been nowhere near it if the Mets had been playing.”

“Are you telling me all those sports meant nothing to you?”
“Compared to baseball, no. They didn’t.”
“Not even March Madness?”
“Not even March Madness.”
“And when we watched other stuff?”
“Would’ve rather watched the Mets.”
“And when we went out and did things?”
“I didn’t care very much about any of it. I was just passing the time with you. And by the way, I hated going out in your weather.”

“That again? You’re bringing up my weather? How could you be so insensitive? That gets to my essential nature!”
“Your essential nature sucks.”
“Take that back!”
“When you take back your stupid superstorm and your early nor’easter and your crazy blizzard and your howling winds and your miserable black ice I slipped on that night in January outside the train station.”
“You’re going to bring that up again?”
“Ice! Frozen into the street! Who leaves ice frozen into the street where you can’t see it?”
“What’s wrong with ice? It’s bracing!”
“It’s deadly! And you’re insane!”
“Oh, you’re just mad because I forgot to turn on the Islanders game for you.”
“I don’t want to watch the Islanders.”
“They have Howie Roooose…”
“I’ll have all the Howie Rose I want starting tomorrow.”

“This is about baseball, isn’t it?”
“Of course it’s about baseball! Do you know me at all after six months?”
“We had baseball.”
“What baseball? When?”
“The playoffs! The World Series!”
“Not the same.”
“The awards!”
“Filler.”
“The transactions!”
“Filler. And depressing, mostly.”
“A full slate of exhibition games!”
“Didn’t count.”
“The WBC!”
“The what?”
“The World Baseball Classic. You said you liked it!”
“I was desperate. I don’t even remember the WBC anymore.”
“What about all these preview magazines I got you when you were complaining about my temperature? Here, I’ll read you something about the Mets if it means that much to you…‘With Johan Santana poised to make a comeback…’”
“Now you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“I did everything I could for you.”
“You couldn’t do anything for me.”
“You’re an ungrateful bastard!”
“You’re a cold bitch!”
“I told you! That’s who I am! I was born this way!”
“Go be born that way somewhere else. I’m leaving for the ballpark tomorrow morning. As soon as I’m out that door, you’re not going to be here anymore.”
“Y’know, it’s not like it doesn’t get chilly at Citi Field.”
“Oh, there may be a chill in the air, but at least I know IT knows when to get out of my life.”
“Fine. I’ll go. But I’ll be back.”
“Winter, I’m gonna be so overjoyed tomorrow that I’m gonna forget I’m ever going to see you again.”