I asked my schoolmate Mary to write a letter to me. She was funny and full of life. She liked to run around her empty house without any clothes on, even once she was too old for that. Nothing embarrassed her. I admired that so much, because everything embarrassed me, and that hurt me. She loved to jump on her bed. She jumped on her bed for so many years that one afternoon, while I watched her jump, the seams burst. Feathers filled the small room. Our laughter kept the feathers in the air. I thought about birds. Could they fly if there wasn't someone, somewhere, laughing?
In the passage, the narrator reflects on a schoolmate named Mary, who embodies a carefree spirit and an unembarrassed nature. She engages in playful activities, such as running around her house without clothes and jumping on her bed. These actions highlight her joyful personality, which contrasts sharply with the narrator's sense of self-consciousness and embarrassment. The admiration for Mary's bravery is palpable, as the narrator grapples with their own feelings of insecurity.
The memory of Mary culminates in a humorous yet poignant moment when her bed breaks from her constant jumping, filling the room with feathers and laughter. This scene not only captures the innocence of childhood but also prompts the narrator to ponder the connection between laughter and the freedom of birds in flight. It suggests that joy and the act of laughing have a profound impact on existence and perhaps, on the ability to transcend one's limitations.
