Question

‘After Twenty Years’ by O. Henry

Answer 1

“After Twenty Years” is a classic short story by O. Henry, famous for its powerful ending. The story begins on a dark, windy night in New York City. A policeman is patrolling his beat, checking doors to ensure everything is secure, when he notices a man standing in the doorway of a darkened hardware store.

The man, sensing the policeman’s suspicion, immediately explains himself. He tells the officer that he is waiting for a friend named Jimmy Wells. He explains that twenty years ago, he and Jimmy had dinner at that exact spot, which was then a restaurant, and they made a solemn pact to meet again in exactly twenty years to see what life had done for them. The man is clearly wealthy, wearing a diamond-studded scarfpin, and he speaks with the confidence of someone who has seen the world.

As they talk, the man mentions that he went out West to seek his fortune, while Jimmy, who was always the most dependable and staunchest person he knew, stayed in New York. The policeman asks if the friend will come, and the man replies with complete certainty that Jimmy will be there if he is still alive. The officer then continues his patrol.

A while later, a tall man in a long overcoat approaches and asks if the man in the doorway is Bob. Bob excitedly confirms that it is him and starts talking about how much he has changed and how successful he has become out West. As they walk down the street together, the lights of a drugstore hit the tall man’s face, and Bob suddenly stops. He realises that this is not his friend Jimmy. He tells the tall man, “You’re not Jimmy Wells. Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man’s nose from a Roman to a pug.”

The tall man calmly reveals that he is indeed a plainclothes police officer. He hands Bob a note, saying Patrolman Wells sent it to him. The note reads:

“Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar, I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow, I couldn’t do it myself, so I went around and got a plainclothes man to do the job. Jimmy.”

The story ends with the heavy realisation of the conflict between duty and friendship. The policeman had been the friend waiting all along, but he chose to uphold the law over his personal loyalty to the man he once knew.