She was as cool and graceful as a very elegant cat with penetrating green eyes and silent poised steps. The event was a dance benefit for the army in Montgomery, Alabama in 1918¹, held in a large ballroom filled with soldiers, patriots, girls who hoped to find a husband, and anyone else who was anybody. She, with her aristocratic air and dress reflecting the opulence of high society, glided through the room like she was floating through the air with her entire face extended towards the ceiling though the ceiling bore no remarkable pattern. When she lowered her gaze, she gave very different glances in three particular directions. To the young lady who had been the center of attention before her entrance, she gave a glance of superiority and amusement. She took in the girl’s sequined dress that a few moments ago seemed glamorous, but now in comparison to the new girl’s elegant cream lace dress seemed gaudy and distasteful. To the young man who was rumored to be in possession of a considerable fortune, she gave a stunning if not artful smile that would have melted a much colder heart than that of this young gentleman and resembled the smile Helen gave Troy. To the jealous girls clustered around thee afore mentioned young man who were eyeing his face with dismay as they took in his awestruck response to this new Nekomusume² siren, she gave a look of dismissal. This was not lost on a single one of the room’s occupants who were whispering behind their champagne glasses, “Her name is Zelda Sayre; I heard that at a dance at Princeton University she took a dip in the pool while still wearing her ball gown³….”

Every girl was jealous of her, and every boy wanted to be with her. Despite this no one had the gall to approach her until a particularly confident, young soldier sauntered up to Zelda. She had noticed him when she arrived. He had been in the midst of a decently large group of people that he appeared to be monopolizing with wit and intellectual banter. This was the same group that most abused the events’ open-bar. He smiled at her in an amused, friendly-way and said, “You sure do know how to make an entrance Zelda Sayre.” She took a step back. Certainly she had never seen this man before tonight, and she would have remembered him if she had. “How do you know my name?” He chuckled and replied, “We both know that the entire room has discussed nothing but you since your entrance, and will probably continue to discuss nothing else for weeks after this event ends.” Her face lowered with mock humility, but her eyes danced at the prospect. He continued, “I personally don’t like having the attention stolen from me, but the damage is done. The way I see it, you owe me the first dance so I can enjoy all the boys’ jealousy.” Her eyes flitted for a moment to the rich young gentlemen who she was so sure would have been her escort for the evening, but he had a dopey smile on his face that couldn’t compare to the charm of this forward stranger, funny how things change. So Zelda turned to him and said with feigned annoyance, “Well aren’t you just a regular Romeo,” while allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. He was a talented dancer. She wasn’t used to having a partner who could keep up with her due to all her years of ballet.4 She looked into his face and mused, “Romeo, what is your real name anyway?” He flashed a bright, good-humored smile and replied, “Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, and one day I’m going to be a famous writer… Don’t make that face. It’s true, and if you stick with me, Juliet, you can be famous too.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes, yes it is.”
“Well you know that Romeo and Juliet were famous too, but that didn’t end so well for them now did it, darling?”
“That’s why I always say, “If you give me a hero, I’ll write you a tragedy.” 5
“So we will be the heroes in our tragedy?”
“Yes.”
“Well that’s rather depressing.”
“All the best stories are.”

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Notes
¹ Montgomery, Alabama in 1918 was the year and place Zelda and F. Scotts Fitzgerald met
² Nekomusume: In Japanese mythology is a cat in the form of a girl
³ I heard that at a dance at Princeton University she took a dip in the pool while still wearing her ball gown: Zelda did do this.
4. Zelda Sayre was a Ballerina
5. F. Scotts Fitzgerald actually said, “Give me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.”
Additional notes: -F. Scotts Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre did meet while he was still in the army