A girl falls from her balcony while shaking out a blanket. A woman falls off her balcony while shaking out a comforter that stinks of beard and bones. On the evening news, an ostrich flies into clouds colored by sunset. On the train, people watch the muted news and read the truncated captions.<\/p>\n
It happens in a matter of seconds. Stains are a big headache. It\u2019s still cold when I pull the comforter over my head. Then it gets stinky and hot. My heart starts pounding. After I surreptitiously change the cover, I spread it out, then fold it, hang it up, then take it down and pluck the feathers. The wings of the big ostrich disappear, leaving only a tattered, pink rag. This comforter with a strange stain makes no sense at all. \u00a0I kick it off because it\u2019s annoying but then I hug it again. The memories that haven\u2019t been properly stitched up seep out and the stain just spreads when I try to rub it off. Suddenly there is an old, hideous girl wrapped inside the comforter.<\/p>\n
Are the heavens shaking out a comforter this evening, causing milky feathers to flitter out of the black clouds? I was chopping my hair off in front of a mirror when everyone left the house to give me a chance to kill myself. It was the night of the first snow, and the big, fluffy comforter spread out below the balcony. Against everyone\u2019s wishes, I open my eyes. Only the doctor smiles a little, just like the time I was born.<\/p>\n
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