Winter

In a greenhouse in the depths of winter, a scientist prepares for her greatest achievement:  a hoard of decorative butterflies out of season.  But distractions abound:  her cold, distant son is causing concern with the company he is keeping; her sometime lover is carelessly cool, and an eccentric old man sees fit to insult her through the glass, albeit politely.  Meanwhile, the love-hate relationship between two cantankerous sisters hobbles comically to a sinister conclusion.

Madam, I admire you.  I admire you deeply; believe me.  And not merely for the sake of admiration.  I admire you for the tremendous effort you must make each and every morning when you look in the mirror and attempt to neutralise the terrible grimace that fickle nature has chosen to bestow upon you.  I feel genuine admiration for you when I think of your tormented youth, of the repeated rejection and painful, unrequited love that you must have experienced throughout your life.  

Forgive me if I speak out of turn, but I imagine that you have had scarce opportunity to enjoy lovemaking.  The pleasures of…  Sex?  Am I mistaken?  Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…  No doubt, madam, you are a martyr, and for this, I admire you.  

Do excuse me.  I must away.  I cannot stay to keep you company.  I must attend to my wife and this detour has made me late today.  It has been worth my while, however.  Not every day does one chance to come across such atrocity.

Good day, madam, and wrap up well when you leave; it is chilly outside.

Winter is part of the Four Seasons tetralogy, along with Autumn, Summer and Springtime.

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