Ginger and Bertie

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

So. Doing. Each. Other.

This, from "Jeeves and the Tie That Binds," regarding Ginger and Bertie before Jeeves came into Bertie's life:

Chapter 2, Aunt Dahlia calls Bertie. She notes that Ginger is visiting.

"Know him?" I said. "You bet I know him. We were like... Jeeves!"
"Sir?"
"Who were those two fellows?"
"Sir?"
"Greek, if I remember correctly. Always mentioned when the subject of bosom pals comes up."
"Would you be referring to Damon and Pythias, sir?"
"That's right. We were like Damon and Pythias, old ancestor."

Chapter 3, Bertie describes meeting Ginger. They had adjacent rooms at Oxford, and it sounds like it was lust at first sight.

Our rooms at Oxford had been adjacent, and it would not be too much to say that from the moment he looked in to borrow a siphon of soda water we became more like brothers than anything, and this state of things had continued after we had both left the seat of learning.

Bertie mentions that Ginger got himself a girlfriend and moved out to Steeple Bumpleigh, Aunt Agatha's abode, and he wasn't going to cross the border there for anything.

But I had missed him sorely. Oh, for the touch of a vanished hand is how you might put it.

One might assume that Bertie and Ginger's affair had continued after they left school, and only ended when Ginger left for Steeple Bumpleigh, before Jeeves came along. A couple of pages later, Bertie sings Ginger's physical praises.

A cloud passed over his face, which, I ought to have mentioned earlier, was well worth looking at, the eyes clear, the cheeks tanned, the chin firm, the hair ginger and the nose shapely. It topped off, moreover, a body which also repaid inspection, being muscular and well knit. His general aspect, as a matter of fact, was rather like that presented by Esmond Haddock, the squire of Deverill Hall, where Jeeves's Uncle Charlie Silversmith drew his monthly envelope. He had the same poetic look, as if at any moment about to rhyme June with moon, yet gave the impression, as Esmond did, of being able, if he cared to, to fell an ox with a single blow. I don't know if he had ever actually done this, for one so seldom meets an ox, but in his undergraduate days he had felled people right and left, having represented the University in the ring as a heavyweight for a matter of three years. He may have included oxen among his victims.

So, yeah, they were obviously So Doing Each Other. Practically canon.

Comments

[aldebaran1977.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! And just considering that Bertie's type are the strong and poetic-minded guys - no surprise that he later fell for Jeeves...

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! And one gets the impression that they are of a physical type as well, from all those descriptions of Jeeves being bronzed and broad-shouldered from hauling shrimping nets and whatnot.

[saylee.livejournal.com]

I'll drink to that! Although, if the affair continued until Ginger left for Steeple Bumpleigh, I can't imagine what would possess him to leave Bertie for Florence.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

I believe "possessed" may be the operative phrase here. Or worry about someone noting that he was spending Far Too Much Time in the presence of a Wooster who was gathering increasing notice for an aversion to the female of the species. Protective coloration was important.

[saylee.livejournal.com]

Whatever it was, Bertie doesn't seem too hurt by it, even though he does miss him. Were they in love, I wonder, or just really good friends with benefits?

Also, where one decides to place the end of Bertie and Ginger's relationship depends on where in canon one wants to place the start of Bertie's relationship with Jeeves. The thing with Ginger would almost certainly have to be completely over, because I can't see either Bertie being okay with infidelity or Jeeves being okay with sharing Bertie.

[ironicbees.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he thinks Ginger's quite the hottie, doesn't he? XD He seems as attracted to Esmond, too.

And regarding the comment above about him liking strong yet poetic men, I wonder if this is why he never goes into detail about Jeeves's appearance: because then it'd be too obvious just how attracted he is to Jeeves?

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Got it in one. With him already singing Jeeves's praises to the heavens? He would be describing Jeeves as a god, I'm sure, which would only get both of them into a soup too hot for either of them to handle.

[ironicbees.livejournal.com]

Well, he does already call Jeeves "godlike" in "The Mating Season". And when he says Jeeves "moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform" (http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/god-moves-in-a-mysterious-way/)...XD

[saylee.livejournal.com]

I've just been reading the chapter in The Mating Season where Bertie and Esmond meet. They have quite the mutual admiration society going on.

[janeturenne.livejournal.com]

Yes! I remember noticing these when I was reading it. Being unable NOT to notice these when I was reading it. They were the doing-it-est of doing-it chaps. Although on the other hand, maybe it was an un-acted-on pash. Nobody is that effusive about an ex, no matter how good the circumstances of the breakup.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Well, perhaps Ginger was going out right about the time Jeeves was coming in, and so Bertie was distracted from what might otherwise have been a bad breakup?

[hazeltea.livejournal.com]

I just re-red this a couple of weeks ago, and had a good goggle. Ah, poor Bertie had it bad.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

He did. Poor dear is such a romantic, isn't he? He might not like Bassett levels of drivel, but he certainly appreciates romance.

[emeraldreeve.livejournal.com]

Ginger is the reason I've never been able to see Bertie as innocent. I think that they were definitely doing it in school but I doubt either saw it as a serious beyond friendship matter. Just something two young men do until they grow up and get married. I suspect it was an on and off thing after school. I can even see it continuing after Jeeves arrived but I don't see Bertie and Jeeves as getting it on right away... I think Jeeves and Bertie liked each other right away but I'm not sure Jeeves would consider an employer a friend in those early days. So if Bertie and Ginger were still doing it now and then, I doubt either Jeeves or Bertie would have seen it as cheating. I believe Bertie went to NY shortly after hiring Jeeves. Ginger got involved with women while he was gone and that was that.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't think that Bertie and Jeeves got into it right away either. And what you've proposed here in terms of travel and such makes a good deal of sense.

As to whether Bertie and Ginger had anything going on while Jeeves was working for Bertie, I have my doubts, as it sounds rather like the first time Jeeves meets him is during Tie That Binds, which is fairly late in the game. Of course, that could (as always) just be Bertie diverting suspicion in his writing.

[hazeltea.livejournal.com]

I agree, I don't think there had been much screwing around since Oxford, although maybe a bit of flirtation in the Drones era.

Bertie and Jeeves would take awhile, because Jeeves was guarded with employers until he started to see Bertie as more, and Bertie would think only an absolute cad would be thinking what he was thinking about his man.

[ironicbees.livejournal.com]

it sounds rather like the first time Jeeves meets him is during Tie That Binds

I just flipped through the book to see if I could find anything about that, and it looks like even if Jeeves hadn't met Ginger before, he at least knew about him. In chapter 2 Bertie asks "You remember Ginger Winship, who used to play Damon to my Pythias?' and Jeeves says "Yes indeed, sir."

[feanix.livejournal.com]

"He may have included oxen among his victims."

Love that bit.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

It really is lovable, isn't it?

[mxdp.livejournal.com]

I love this. And I like the comments thread.
Ah Wodehouse, champion of not-so-very-much-hiding a whole story behind the little things.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Funny how a few throwaway comments can inspire whole stories, innit? ;)

[gini-baggins.livejournal.com]

He this is funny, I just read your fic 'The problem with Eustace' when I stumbled upon this. It makes so much sense! :D Although I love to think of Bertie as a virgin, but they are other ways to make love of course! But you are right, omg they are so doing each other. :D

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Heh, yeah. And I had a couple of people asking for a young!Bertie/young!Ginger fic as a sort of a prequel. Now that I've seen this, I might actually be able to pull it off. But I'm working on a kinkmeme fill right now so that will have to wait.

"Virgin" Is an entirely different concept when you're queer. Penetrative sex isn't the only kind, so defining "virginity" gets weird.

[triedunture.livejournal.com]

I think Ginger, more so then Bingo or anyone else at the Drones, is a very likely candidate for Bertie's first or near-to-his-first.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I think that's true.