--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I opened my eyes to find Gary and my…" description: "\"“I opened my eyes to find Gary and my mother sitting cross-legged up against a half-fallen wall, both of them laughing so hard they had tears running d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b20/c-e-murphy-13641_laughing-so-hard_i-opened-my-eyes-to-find-gary-and-my-mot_2135775.jpg" --- # I opened my eyes to find Gary and my mother sitting… ![“I opened my eyes to find Gary and my mother sitting cross-legged up against a half-fallen wall, both of them laughing so hard they had tears running down their faces. My mother had Gary’s forearm in one hand as she wheezed, “She didn’t, she didn’t!” and wiped tears away with the other, and Gary…” quote by C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b20/c-e-murphy-13641_laughing-so-hard_i-opened-my-eyes-to-find-gary-and-my-mot_2135775.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b20/c-e-murphy-13641_laughing-so-hard_i-opened-my-eyes-to-find-gary-and-my-mot_2135775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b20/c-e-murphy-13641_laughing-so-hard_i-opened-my-eyes-to-find-gary-and-my-mot_2135775.jpg) > ““I opened my eyes to find Gary and my mother sitting cross-legged up against a half-fallen wall, both of them laughing so hard they had tears running down their faces. My mother had Gary’s forearm in one hand as she wheezed, “She didn’t, she didn’t!” and wiped tears away with the other, and Gary nodded so merrily it appeared his head would go bobbling off. It was so completely incongruous with the farewell I’d just experienced I just sat there, offended on general principles, and waited for them to notice I’d woken up. Instead my mother threw her head back and shrieked like a delighted banshee, laughter bouncing off the crumbling walls. I looked upward. The surviving banshees still sat in the oak rafters, many of them with expressions of accusation. This was not how things were done, and it was clearly all my fault.”” [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels alienated by a surreal, chaotic celebration that clashes with a recent loss, highlighting dissonance between personal grief and external joy. **In simple terms:** Grief clashes with unexpected joy, causing alienation. Key Takeaway Recognize and honor your feelings before judging others. Themes grief alienation surrealism family celebration Mood conflicted surreal somber Type narrative reflective emotional When to use this quote - funeral aftermath - unexpected gatherings - cultural rituals - family dynamics Key Concepts existential dread absurdity emotional dissonance Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate joy when you’re grieving? - What does the banshee symbolize for you? A Different Perspective The scene may exaggerate emotional conflict for dramatic effect, overlooking natural coping processes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Banshee Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banshee-laughter-4424482/) [Gary Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gary-mother-641937/) [Laughing so hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing-so-hard/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-gary-4424481/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Surviving Banshees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surviving-banshees-4424483/) ## Related quotes > [“People had always amazed him, he began. But they amazed him more since the sickness. For as long as the two of them had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/people-had-always-amazed-him-he-began-but-they-amazed-him-more-since/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [The awkward moment when youre laughing so hard, no noise comes out, and you sit there clapping like a seal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/the-awkward-moment-when-youre-laughing-so-hard-no-noise-comes-out-and/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [The moment yo're laughing so hard and you try and stop, but you look at the person again and laugh. :3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-moment-yo-re-laughing-so-hard-and-you-try-and-stop-but-you-look/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A few of the best things in life... Laughing so hard your face hurts. Midnight phone calls that last for hours. Laughing for absolutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-few-of-the-best-things-in-life-laughing-so-hard-your-face-hurts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I can bring you to the point where you're almost in tears one minute and laughing so hard the next and you've healed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-breuer/if-i-can-bring-you-to-the-point-where-you-re-almost-in-tears-one/) [Jim Breuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-breuer/) > [“A tall man in a plaid work shirt stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. “Can I buy you a drink, little lady?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/a-tall-man-in-a-plaid-work-shirt-stopped-me-with-a-hand-on-my/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“Win demagnetized and then pried off the power chamber faring and tossed it aside. Then he started to laugh. And dance. And slap Dirck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcha-a-fox/win-demagnetized-and-then-pried-off-the-power-chamber-faring-and/) [Marcha A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcha-a-fox/) > [No Angie, it's instant. Like when someone trips in the cafeteria and you're laughing so hard milk comes out of your nose, the guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/no-angie-it-s-instant-like-when-someone-trips-in-the-cafeteria-and/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [“And then there will be the times when I see you laughing. Like the time you’ll be playing with the neighbor’s puppy, poking your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/and-then-there-will-be-the-times-when-i-see-you-laughing-like-the/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [“ Okay, this is a fictional character," Lily began. "And he's like a human." "What?" Adam asked her, looking befuddled. "What the fuck does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-m-silber/okay-this-is-a-fictional-character-lily-began-and-he-s-like-a-human/) [N.M. Silber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-m-silber/) > [“Hanna started to laugh uncontrollably. "Now," Bobby told her, "say, 'I'm a dying cockroach.'" Again Hanna stopped and rolled over. "Do what?" she asked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-everett-capps/hanna-started-to-laugh-uncontrollably-now-bobby-told-her-say-i-m-a/) [Ronald Everett Capps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-everett-capps/) > [“I found myself suddenly jealous of the time when things were simple, when days centered on creek walks and tetherball, and your biggest worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-williams/i-found-myself-suddenly-jealous-of-the-time-when-things-were-simple/) [Kathryn Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-williams/) > [“Sorry." he said, rubbing his temples. "Do you have any Tylenol?" "Nope, sorry. Your doctor's appointment is today right?" "Yeah." "Here take this." Jenna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/sorry-he-said-rubbing-his-temples-do-you-have-any-tylenol-nope-sorry/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“Weep and ask for help. Lean on me with your runny nose. Cry when you feel like crying. Laugh when you feel like laughing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorachi-hideaki/weep-and-ask-for-help-lean-on-me-with-your-runny-nose-cry-when-you/) [Sorachi Hideaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorachi-hideaki/) > [“The following ten throws went a variety of places. I never hit the target, but I was getting closer. Isabella was laughing so hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-benton/the-following-ten-throws-went-a-variety-of-places-i-never-hit-the/) [Jim Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-benton/) ## More by C.E. Murphy > [Rita folded her arms around herself and peered up at me. “If you’d asked me three months ago I’d have said you were hitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/rita-folded-her-arms-around-herself-and-peered-up-at-me-if-you-d/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“All thinking things fear. Sentience, perhaps, is facing that fear and conquering it rather than succumbing. A tiger will drown in a tar pit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/all-thinking-things-fear-sentience-perhaps-is-facing-that-fear-and/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“He can’t keep this up forever, Joanne. Stop fucking around." Did other people have little voices in their heads that said things like that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/he-can-t-keep-this-up-forever-joanne-stop-fucking-around-did-other/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“You ever get the feeling your life is a string festooned with bells and tie4d to hundreds of others you don't know anything about?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/you-ever-get-the-feeling-your-life-is-a-string-festooned-with-bells/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [Thank God genuine video phones hadn't been invented. I hadn't even grabbed a towel. Ford Prefect would despair of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/thank-god-genuine-video-phones-hadn-t-been-invented-i-hadn-t-even/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“He rallied a little. "Who are you? What do you know about this? Disease control is our job, not yours. Who are you?" "My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/he-rallied-a-little-who-are-you-what-do-you-know-about-this-disease/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“But maybe, just maybe, I was who and where and what I needed to be. Maybe all the prices that had been paid were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/but-maybe-just-maybe-i-was-who-and-where-and-what-i-needed-to-be/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [I suppose I knew on an intellectual level that graves weren't especially made for getting out of. I mean, you start with a hermetically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/i-suppose-i-knew-on-an-intellectual-level-that-graves-weren-t/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“Yes " Morrison said dryly. "I'm sure it would have helped with flying the car, if any of us had been calm and rational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/yes-morrison-said-dryly-i-m-sure-it-would-have-helped-with-flying-the/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“In Ireland, you go to someone's house, and she asks you if you want a cup of tea. You say no, thank you, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/in-ireland-you-go-to-someone-s-house-and-she-asks-you-if-you-want-a/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [Don’t be sorry. Be good. Be right. Be a hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/don-t-be-sorry-be-good-be-right-be-a-hero/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“imagined slights could be more poisonous than real ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/imagined-slights-could-be-more-poisonous-than-real-ones/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“All I've got is a pocketful of attitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/all-i-ve-got-is-a-pocketful-of-attitude/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [“He fell ass over tea Kettle”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/he-fell-ass-over-tea-kettle/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) > [Why do airline pilots always call passengers "folks"? I don't usually take umbrage at generic terminology--I'm one of those forward-thinkers who believes that "man"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-murphy/why-do-airline-pilots-always-call-passengers-folks-i-don-t-usually/) [C.E. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) [Explore all 49 C.E. Murphy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-murphy/) ## More Laughing so hard quotes > [“Weep and ask for help. Lean on me with your runny nose. Cry when you feel like crying. Laugh when you feel like laughing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorachi-hideaki/weep-and-ask-for-help-lean-on-me-with-your-runny-nose-cry-when-you/) [Sorachi Hideaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorachi-hideaki/) > [“Sorry." he said, rubbing his temples. "Do you have any Tylenol?" "Nope, sorry. Your doctor's appointment is today right?" "Yeah." "Here take this." Jenna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/sorry-he-said-rubbing-his-temples-do-you-have-any-tylenol-nope-sorry/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“I found myself suddenly jealous of the time when things were simple, when days centered on creek walks and tetherball, and your biggest worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-williams/i-found-myself-suddenly-jealous-of-the-time-when-things-were-simple/) [Kathryn Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-williams/) > [“Hanna started to laugh uncontrollably. "Now," Bobby told her, "say, 'I'm a dying cockroach.'" Again Hanna stopped and rolled over. "Do what?" she asked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-everett-capps/hanna-started-to-laugh-uncontrollably-now-bobby-told-her-say-i-m-a/) [Ronald Everett Capps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-everett-capps/) > [“ Okay, this is a fictional character," Lily began. "And he's like a human." "What?" Adam asked her, looking befuddled. "What the fuck does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-m-silber/okay-this-is-a-fictional-character-lily-began-and-he-s-like-a-human/) [N.M. Silber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-m-silber/) > [“And then there will be the times when I see you laughing. Like the time you’ll be playing with the neighbor’s puppy, poking your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-chiang/and-then-there-will-be-the-times-when-i-see-you-laughing-like-the/) [Ted Chiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-chiang/) > [No Angie, it's instant. Like when someone trips in the cafeteria and you're laughing so hard milk comes out of your nose, the guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/no-angie-it-s-instant-like-when-someone-trips-in-the-cafeteria-and/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [“Win demagnetized and then pried off the power chamber faring and tossed it aside. Then he started to laugh. And dance. And slap Dirck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcha-a-fox/win-demagnetized-and-then-pried-off-the-power-chamber-faring-and/) [Marcha A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcha-a-fox/) > [“A tall man in a plaid work shirt stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. “Can I buy you a drink, little lady?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/a-tall-man-in-a-plaid-work-shirt-stopped-me-with-a-hand-on-my/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [If I can bring you to the point where you're almost in tears one minute and laughing so hard the next and you've healed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-breuer/if-i-can-bring-you-to-the-point-where-you-re-almost-in-tears-one/) [Jim Breuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-breuer/) > [A few of the best things in life... Laughing so hard your face hurts. Midnight phone calls that last for hours. Laughing for absolutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-few-of-the-best-things-in-life-laughing-so-hard-your-face-hurts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The moment yo're laughing so hard and you try and stop, but you look at the person again and laugh. :3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-moment-yo-re-laughing-so-hard-and-you-try-and-stop-but-you-look/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The awkward moment when youre laughing so hard, no noise comes out, and you sit there clapping like a seal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/the-awkward-moment-when-youre-laughing-so-hard-no-noise-comes-out-and/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [“The following ten throws went a variety of places. I never hit the target, but I was getting closer. Isabella was laughing so hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-benton/the-following-ten-throws-went-a-variety-of-places-i-never-hit-the/) [Jim Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-benton/) > [“Oh, by the way," Coop announces as he weaves his DeathBot ship through a barrage of space debris on his laptop screen. "In case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-calame/oh-by-the-way-coop-announces-as-he-weaves-his-deathbot-ship-through-a/) [Don Calame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-calame/) [Browse all 83 Laughing so hard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing-so-hard/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I opened my eyes to find Gary and my mother sitting cross-legged up against a half-fallen wall, both of them laughing so hard they had tears running down their faces. My mother had Gary’s forearm in one hand as she wheezed, “She didn’t, she didn’t!” and wiped tears away with the other, and Gary nodded so merrily it appeared his head would go bobbling off. It was so completely incongruous with the farewell I’d just experienced I just sat there, offended on general principles, and waited for them to notice I’d woken up. Instead my mother threw her head back and shrieked like a delighted banshee, laughter bouncing off the crumbling walls. I looked upward. The surviving banshees still sat in the oak rafters, many of them with expressions of accusation. This was not how things were done, and it was clearly all my fault.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C.E. 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