Why I Didn't Shake Hands with Tom

Few months after Gatsby’s death, I met Tom Buchanan on the Fifth Avenue. He looked just as usual, standing on the street in an aggressive and arrogant way. I hated to talk to him after that thing happened, and at this moment I wished he could just pass me by. But unfortunately he still saw me and held out his hand. Usually I see myself as a polite person, but this time I refused to shake hands with him. I was disgusted to see Tom Buchanan acting like he had never done anything wrong, or maybe in his opinion all those things were understandable. I guessed this was not the first time he did this kind of thing, finding a scapegoat for his own mistake. I felt bad for Gatsby. He did nothing wrong, but he was finally killed by Wilson because of Tom Buchanan’s lies. Even though the thing had been over as Gatsby died, I was still not able to forgive Tom. He had never truly confessed, so he did not deserve that forgiveness. I knew Tom would get angry if I objected him, but I did not really care at least at this moment. I did not want to be along with those people anymore. I was tired of their hypocrisy. I felt somehow I had been changed: honestly I would rather befriend with Gatsby than with Tom and others if I could choose. I could not forgive Tom, but I could not do anything useful either. So I just followed my mind not shaking his hand.