March 8, 2014 /

Zelda Fitzgerald | waldina

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It was at Camp Sheridan that Zelda met a young officer named Scott Fitzgerald. He was beautiful, like Zelda — they were both petite, with blond hair and light eyes. Years later, in her autobiographical novel Save Me the Waltz (1932), she wrote: “He smelled like new goods. Being close to him with her face in the space between his ear and his stiff army collar was like being initiated into the subterranean reserves of a fine fabric store exuding the delicacy of cambrics and linen and luxury bound in bales.” Scott and Zelda spent a lot of time together, but she didn’t want to commit to him; even though he was confident that he was going to be rich and famous, Zelda was hesitant, and her parents were unconvinced. She wrote to him: “Mamma knows that we are going to be married some day — But she keeps leaving stories of young authors, turned out on a dark and stormy night, on my pillow — I wonder if you hadn’t better write to my Daddy — just before I leave — I wish I were detached — sorter without relatives. I’m not exactlyscared of ‘em, but they could be so unpleasant about what I’m going to do.”

via Happy Birthday Zelda Fitzgerald | waldina.

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Tagsautobiographical material Azuree beautiful prose Ernest Hemingway ErnestHemingway Estee Lauder F. Scott Fitzgerald FScottFitzgerald JazzAge mental illness plagiarized life Save Me the Waltz short story The Beautiful and Damned turbulent marriage Waldina Zelda Fitzgerald ZeldaFitzgerald

9 Comments

  1. theperfumeddandy
    March 8, 2014

    Dearest V
    “He smelled like new goods”.
    Oh yes, the freshly minted man.
    Too bad for both of them that too often they would both smell like two old soaks.
    The waste, but what waste.
    Yours ever
    The Perfumed Dandy

    • Vickie Lester
      March 9, 2014

      I’ve read accounts of their youth, and am I allowed to say this? They sound like typical, creative, twenty year old people. Volatile, provocative, experimental… Touched with genius and bolts of charisma and way too much excess… which made them, at times, impossible to be around.

      • theperfumeddandy
        March 9, 2014

        Dearest V
        Very true, the trick one fels is to know when, like the party, one’s twenties are over.
        Yours ever
        The Perfumed Dandy

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