What I Was Thinking When I Spoke to Gatsby Alone

     Once you hear enough rumors about a person, you forget that there is actual truth to be found. There were dozens of rumors about Gatsby floating around New York, and I have heard them all. There was only one thing that everyone knew for sure: Gatsby’s parties were absolutely grand. It was there, at one of his renowned parties that I was suddenly being escorted to a private meeting with Jay Gatsby himself. The first thing I noticed about him was how nervous he appeared to be. He clearly had something of importance to ask of me, and wanted to earn my trust by providing the truth. He spoke quickly and excitedly about his past in the war and his time spent at Oxford, and then began revealing the details about his relationship with Daisy a few years back. He confided in me that his love for Daisy had never wavered, and he planned to get her back, but he needed my help.  The extravagance of his plan to win over Daisy astounded me. Every step toward his love-sick goal had been thought out months, possibly years in advance. His plan excited me. I wanted nothing other than for Gatsby and Daisy to finally have their happy ending. Gatsby instilled a hopefulness into me which I had never known. From that point on, I felt an unwavering loyalty to Gatsby. Although we never considered ourselves to be close friends, I stood up for Jay when people assumed the worst of him. After our conversation, I learned what it means to be loyal to a friend, and dedicated to a loved one.