Chapter 2

Summary: (Explanation on next page >>)

Tom invites Nick out for an afternoon. On their way to the city they pick up Myrtle, Tom's mistress. She is the wife of Wilson, a man who owns a garage along the highway. Nick mentions how shameless Tom is in taking Myrtle out in public no matter who may see them. While in the city the group calls upon Catherine, Myrtle's sister. They go to Catherine's apartment for a small party and Myrtle calls her friends the McKee's to come over as well. Nick becomes drunk, although he says that this is only the second time he has ever been drunk, and says that his memories of that day are a little hazy. The party is mostly uneventful for Nick, but he is told some gossip about the state of Tom and Daisy's marriage. Catherine says that neither Tom nor Myrtle can stand the person they are married to and that Tom would divorce Daisy except for the fact that she is Catholic. Nick notes that Daisy is not Catholic.

Towards the end of the evening Tom and Myrtle get is a fight about Daisy and he strikes her and breaks her nose. After that Nick becomes incoherent due to the alcohol and the next thing he clearly remembers is waiting for a train in Pennsylvania Station.

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