So I dressed, and we rushed down the street to find a yellow cab. We entered our car on either side, and as it pulled off, Daisy asked, “How are things going with Jay? I’ve noticed you been out more. Is it with him? Are you spying?”
Her question felt like being called on in class when I didn’t have the answer.
“Not spying—no. We’ve struck up a friendship,” I said quietly, as I looked out the window. The sidewalks were full of pedestrians—mostly young couples out for the night. I studied their outfits endlessly and hoped I’d blend in without going invisible. “I went to a UNIA meeting with him—not for Jordan. Just for fun. I find him easy to trust, but it’s only been a few months.”
“Did he say or do anything suspicious in the meeting?” Daisy asked.
“Not at all. I think Jay loves Harlem too much to hurt it. I’ve never met his father though.”
All I knew was something about Jay made me want to share my life with him, including things that I wouldn’t share with others.
“I’ve met Gatsby,” Daisy said. “He’s nice, in a rehearsed way. Hard to get a read on. I find that Jay has this desire to please his dad and a competing desire to be his own man.”
I’d gotten a sense of that too.
The car slowed to a gradual stop. I turned to find Daisy watching me, as if she was curious about my thoughts. Meeting Jay had changed me already—perhaps she saw it.
She reached forward to hand a tip to the driver and then said, “Well! Here we are!”
I slid out of the car and Daisy came around to loop her arm through mine. In front of us glowed a big Apollo Hotel sign—a long rectangle whose letters flashed with little bulbs. A marquee shone brightly beneath it, readingWelcome West and East Egg Students.
We walked inside and entered the ballroom down a set of wide stairs, our presence making people look. Perhaps they were impressed that a simpleton like myself was attached to such a lovely lady. The confident bounce in Daisy’s walk started to rub off on me in the best way possible; this front could last for just a little while.
Chandeliers glittered over a large dance floor where Charlie was doing the Charleston, all by himself. Daisy observed him, arms folded. “He’s an atrocious dancer, isn’t he?”
“Quite bad,” I said.
“I’m so glad I said no to his invitation for a date,” Daisy said before noticing someone approaching her. “Betty!”
They hugged and began chatting girl business, so I migrated to the table to leave them to their conversation. I devoured some crackers and cheese and then downed a cup of punch.
Vinny was in attendance in a loose-fitting suit with his hair in braids now. He was holding his tuba and standing near a line of girls in chairs, who swayed lightly to the music. He was hoping, it seemed, that a girl would talk to him, but they were only talking to each other.
He approached me when he saw me. “You look very smart, Nick. Glad you made it.”
“Thank you, Vinny. You too.” I’d have complimented him in return but all I could think is how strange it was that he’d brought his tuba with him to a dance.
Lately, Vinny and I had fallen into a natural rhythm with separate social circles, but we were still friends, and I appreciated his presence here.
That is, until I spotted Jay skulking in the corner behind some balloons. His placement in the room struck me as odd. Handsome guys didn’t usually sulk in corners.
He was spinning his fedora around his fist instead of wearing it—it was the only sign he was having any fun. He looked at me because he must have felt me staring. He smiled but didn’t wave. We just watched each other.
“I’m gonna walk around,” I told Vinny and went to approach Jay tentatively.
“You came alone,” he said.
“I haven’t met a single girl at East Egg except for Daisy,” I returned.
“Ah. Did you know I liked her in grade school? My father always said Daisy was a fine young lady. But I’d always gotten the impression she was too focused on other things for a relationship, which is why I never courted her.”
Now, Jay, why would you say this to me?I felt physical pain from his words, like he’d whacked me in the stomach with a paddle. But that was my responsibility, wasn’t it? We were only friends.
The trips to Coney Island, The Green Light, his very own residence—all of that was just a way to show that rumors had no power to stop our friendship. The stir that I felt deep in my soul when he was around—that was something that I felt alone.
“I don’t think she’s too focused on other things,” I said. “You could try your hand at providing gifts.”
Jay raised an eyebrow. “You make your cousin sound so... materialistic.” His eyes drifted to watch Daisy dance with a boy. “But I catch your drift. People like knowing you thought of them.”
