Final page of The Great Gatsby

I changed some of the words from the final page of The Great Gatsby to tell the story of Phil Mickelson at the U.S. Open (F. Scott Fitzgerald's original here: http://home.sprynet.com/~eric/Gatsby.htm):

Most of everyone was gone by now, and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy and stationary glow of a maintenance cart headlight that was accidentally left on in the aftermath. And as the moon rose higher the inessential greens began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old forest here that flowered once for a particular Scottish immigrant’s eyes—a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for these 18 Calvaries, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder.

And as I sat there, brooding on the old unknown world, I thought of Mickelson’s wonder when he first picked out the wicker basket at the top of Miss Merion’s pin. He had come a long way to this green lawn, literally: after miles and miles of traveling; after U.S. Open, after U.S. Open, after U.S. Open, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity known as history, where Payne Stewart’s put rolls on into the night.

Mickelson believes in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, try to hit 'em straighter and farther. . . . And one fine morning——

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Brilliant!

Thanks, guys!

Definitely a great line, Colin!

This was the first book that i fell in love with...because i was forced to read it in school. I haven't read it in years but i think i will have to dig it out again!!

Great job.

I didnt get what all the fuss was about

I will be the "bad guy" and say nice job, but I am not a huge fan of bastardizing forms of art even in a nice way.  To each their own right?  It is well done and fitting.  You obviously have great literary understanding, and carry a certain emotion about what happened with Phil.  I would be more interested to hear it put into your own words though.  You would very likely write it very well.  Again though a nice bit of molding one work into your own thoughts.

Y ou've been insufferable e ver since you received that "stupid monkey" award!

Sorry. It is just that the OP obviously has something to be expressed on what happened this past weekend.  I am more curious about his/her own original words on the matter.  It is very well done, but I appreciate any form of an original work over an altered form of a brilliant one.  I do like bastardizing in the form of humor though as it is not thought of as a serious alteration.  I probably should not have even used that term for the negative viewpoint it gets. No harm meant to the OP.  I will stop being insufferable and find a happy place now.

Thanks for the replies.

The reason I chose to adapt Fitzgerald's words, rather than write something of my own, is because, quite simply, those from Gatsby fit the situation perfectly, in my opinion. I don't necessarily hold a strong emotion toward Mickelson - but rather to the general themes of trying to obtain a goal - and thus it just made sense to tweak Fitzgerald's rather than focus on the specific elements at play in Phil's journey, which to me are of lesser importance than those general themes. I will consider, however, writing a commentary on these themes and connect them to Mickelson in some way. So thanks for the inspiration, Cipher.

Hope I did not come across as discouraging.  And you are right the context of that last page does fit well.  The themes of that piece are interesting and I just thought you have it in you to write something completely your own as well.

im picturing Tom Kite, for some reason.  his pasty white skin and burned-off lips would go well for the character...