A New York Real Life Story - By O. Henry

After Twenty Years

It was a rainy day,  windy night. The streets were almost deserted. A policeman was on patrol. He had a very impressive apparence. His gestures showed that he was a stern policeman. Suddenly he slowed his walk. He found a man learning against the doorway of a hardware store. The policeman came to learn that he was waiting there for his friend,  Jimmy. There was an appointment between them. The two friends parted twenty years ago. Once they frequented 'Big Joe' Brandy's restaurent for dinner in the street, he has waiting on. The restaurent was no more. The policeman also learnt that the two friends were brought up as brother together in New York. Bob went to the west to change his luck. Jimmy stayed in New York. Bob came a thousand miles to stand before that door. He was sure that Jimmy would come. The policeman wanted to know about the stranger. He told him that his life on the West was not at all smooth. He has struggled to find a suitable way. Eventually he became rich. Now the policemen departed. The stranger was waiting alone. The wind blew hard. A cold drizzle started. The man smoked his cigar. Long twenty minutes passed. Suddenly there appeared a tall man with a long overcoat on. His face was hardly definable. Bob took him for Jimmy. They walked, hand in hand. The chaps shared chatted freely. Bob found a lot of change in Jimmy. He grew taller. Jimmy reminded him of the working of time on his body. He told Bob about his present position. Now Bob sketched his career with renewed interest. A medicine shop was nearby. In the bright electric light two Walkers gazed at each other. Bob was shocked. It was not Jimmy, his old friend. Jimmy's nose was not blunt. Now the tall man revealed his real identity. He was a policeman. He had been sent to arrest Bob. The patrolling policeman sent him to do the job. There was a note for Bob from him. Bob read the note. He learnt that the policeman he had met first was his real friend. Chicago police hired him to arrest Bob. He was a wanted Criminal. But Jimmy could not do the job himself. So a policeman was sent.