Car Accident After Gatsby's Party

As Nick leaves Gatsby's party, he witnesses a car accident: a new coupe has lost a wheel in a ditch. The driver, Owl Eyes, is bewildered and explains he wasn't driving—another man is in the car. A drunken passenger emerges from the wreck, and a crowd gathers. Nick walks home, glancing back to see Gatsby standing alone on his porch, his hand raised in farewell. The scene underscores the recklessness and emptiness behind Gatsby's glamour.