The year was 1922. I had just moved to West Egg, Long Island. My father said he would fund me for a year wile I learn the bond business.
Right across the bay lived my distant cousin, Daisy, with her husband, Tom Buchanan, and her daughter, Pammy.
Gatsby? What Gatsby?
And, right next door -just a few feet away from my bungalow- lives Gatsby, Jay Gatsby. He throws the most epic parties, but nobody knows who he truly is.
Is something happening?
One day, Daisy invited me to have dinner at her house. That's the day I met the lovely Jordan Baker.
While in conversation, Jordan casually mentioned Mr. Gatsby... and Daisy seemed suspiciously interested.
I want to see you. Get on the next train.
Later that night, Tom received a phone call and excused himself. After him went a disturbed Daisy.
Why- Tom's got some woman in New York.
When I got home, I saw Gatsby staring out at a green light across the water, and stretched his arm out toward it.
We were on our way to New York when, suddenly, Tom insisted to stop at the valley of ashes so he could introduce me to, "his girl", Myrtle Wilson.
In New York we go to the apartment where Tom and Myrtle fool around. There I get drunk for the second time in my life.
"I've been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library."
Your face is familiar.
Miss Baker? I beg your pardon but Mr. Gatsby would like to speak to you alone.
I got invited to one of Gatsby's parties by his chauffeur. When I got there I saw Jordan and I met this owl-eyed man in the library...
Well, I’m going to tell you something about my life. I’ll tell you God’s truth.
...when I got back outside, this man comes up to me and starts a conversation and they talk about how they were both in the war.
‘He wants to know if you’ll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over.’
Later that night, Gatsby received a phone call and went inside, but not before telling telling his butler to ask Jordan to meet with him.
One day Gatsby told me that we were having lunch together and that he thought we'd get a ride up together. During that ride he told me all about his life. Little did I know that he easing into a favor he was going to ask...
You always look so cool Gatsby.
That evening, Jordan told me Gatsby's request over tea. She told me all about Gatsby and Daisy, and told me that Gatsby wanted me to arrange a meeting between them.
At first, their meeting was not going well at all. So I talked to Gatsby, and well, in the end, they got back to were they left things.
Daisy never loved you.
I was invited to hang out at the Buchanan's , it was the hottest day ever. When I arrived, Daisy and Jordan are wearing their famous white dresses, and Tom is talking on the phone with his mistress. Later that day Gatsby arrives.
To break the tension, we decided to go into town. Daisy and Gatsby in Tom's car, and Jordan, Tom, and I in Gatsby's car. When we get there we end up in a suit at the Plaza Hotel.
Tension increases between Tom and Gatsby. Tom says things he probably shouldn't have said, and so does Gatsby. Daisy was crying and asked to leave.
It was Mr. Gatsby who killed Myrtle.
On their way back, Gatsby went with Daisy. Daisy was driving. Because they were in Gatsby's car, Myrtle thought it was Tom, so she ran into the street. Unfortunately, Daisy ran her over and died instantly.
I'm his only friend.
Tom did not know it was Daisy driving the car, He though it was Gatsby. So he told a vengeful George Wilson and told him it was Gatsby who ran over his wife.
Mr. Wilson whent over to Gatsby's house and with one shot he killed the man, and with another, he killed himself.
Gatsby turned out all right at the end.
I was in charge of Gatsby's funeral. I called his family but no one wanted to come and pay their respects. i felt pity for Gatsby, he was so generous to so many people but ultimately had only one friend -- me.
Only three people arrived at his funeral: the owl-eyed man, Mr. Gatz (Gatsby's dad), and me.
So everybody came back to the Midwest. We were westerners who just couldn't cut it in the East. But, at least I can safely say...