After-20-years

AfterTwentyYearsByO.HenryThepolicemanonthebeatmoveduptheavenueimpressively.Theimpressivenesswashabitualandnotforshow,forspectatorswerefew.Thetimewasbarely10o'clockatnight,butchillygustsofwindwithatasteofraininthemhadwellnighdepeopledthestreets.Tryingdoorsashewent,twirlinghisclubwithmanyintricateandartfulmovements,turningnowandthentocasthiswatchfuleyeadownthepacificthoroughfare,theofficer,withhisstalwartformandslightswagger,madeafinepictureofaguardianofthepeace.Thevicinitywasonethatkeptearlyhours.Nowandthenyoumightseethelightsofacigarstoreorofanall-nightlunchcounter;butthemajorityofthedoorsbelongedtobusinessplacesthathadlongsincebeenclosed.Whenaboutmidwayofacertainblockthepolicemansuddenlyslowedhiswalk.Inthedoorwayofadarkenedhardwarestoreamanleaned,withanunlightedcigarinhismouth.Asthepolicemanwalkeduptohimthemanspokeupquickly.It'sallright,officer,hesaid,reassuringly.I'mjustwaitingforafriend.It'sanappointmentmadetwentyyearsago.Soundsalittlefunnytoyou,doesn'tit?Well,I'llexplainifyou'dliketomakecertainit'sallstraight.Aboutthatlongagothereusedtobearestaurantwherethisstorestands--'BigJoe'Brady'srestaurant.Untilfiveyearsago,saidthepoliceman.Itwastorndownthen.Themaninthedoorwaystruckamatchandlithiscigar.Thelightshowedapale,square-jawedfacewithkeeneyes,andalittlewhitescarnearhisrighteyebrow.Hisscarfpinwasalargediamond,oddlyset.Twentyyearsagoto-night,saidtheman,Idinedhereat'BigJoe'Brady'swithJimmyWells,mybestchum,andthefinestchapintheworld.HeandIwereraisedhereinNewYork,justliketwobrothers,together.IwaseighteenandJimmywastwenty.ThenextmorningIwastostartfortheWesttomakemyfortune.Youcouldn'thavedraggedJimmyoutofNewYork;hethoughtitwastheonlyplaceonearth.Well,weagreedthatnightthatwewouldmeethereagainexactlytwentyyearsfromthatdateandtime,nomatterwhatourconditionsmightbeorfromwhatdistancewemighthavetocome.Wefiguredthatintwentyyearseachofusoughttohaveourdestinyworkedoutandourfortunesmade,whatevertheyweregoingtobe.Itsoundsprettyinteresting,saidthepoliceman.Ratheralongtimebetweenmeets,though,itseemstome.Haven'tyouheardfromyourfriendsinceyouleft?Well,yes,foratimewecorresponded,saidtheother.Butafterayearortwowe1,Judgethepassage’stype.Thispassageistheliteratureofnovel.2.Choosethemostmethod.Setting,characters,characterinteractions,motivation,theme,pointofview,conflictshouldbeanalyzedthroughthedescriptionsaboutenvironment,character,conversationect.losttrackofeachother.Yousee,theWestisaprettybigproposition,andIkepthustlingaroundoveritprettylively.ButIknowJimmywillmeetmehereifhe'salive,forhealwayswasthetruest,stanchestoldchapintheworld.He'llneverforget.Icameathousandmilestostandinthisdoorto-night,andit'sworthitifmyoldpartnerturnsup.Thewaitingmanpulledoutahandsomewatch,thelidsofitsetwithsmalldiamonds.Threeminutestoten,heannounced.Itwasexactlyteno'clockwhenwepartedhereattherestaurantdoor.DidprettywelloutWest,didn'tyou?askedthepoliceman.Youbet!IhopeJimmyhasdonehalfaswell.Hewasakindofplodder,though,goodfellowashewas.I'vehadtocompetewithsomeofthesharpestwitsgoingtogetmypile.AmangetsinagrooveinNewYork.IttakestheWesttoputarazor-edgeonhim.Thepolicemantwirledhisclubandtookasteportwo.I'llbeonmyway.Hopeyourfriendcomesaroundallright.Goingtocalltimeonhimsharp?Ishouldsaynot!saidtheother.I'llgivehimhalfanhouratleast.IfJimmyisaliveonearthhe'llbeherebythattime.Solong,officer.Good-night,sir,saidthepoliceman,passingonalonghisbeat,tryingdoorsashewent.Therewasnowafine,colddrizzlefalling,andthewindhadrisenfromitsuncertainpuffsintoasteadyblow.Thefewfootpassengersastirinthatquarterhurrieddismallyandsilentlyalongwithcoatcollarsturnedhighandpocketedhands.Andinthedoorofthehardwarestorethemanwhohadcomeathousandmilestofillanappointment,uncertainalmosttoabsurdity,withthefriendofhisyouth,smokedhiscigarandwaited.Abouttwentyminuteshewaited,andthenatallmaninalongovercoat,withcollarturneduptohisears,hurriedacrossfromtheoppositesideofthestreet.Hewentdirectlytothewaitingman.Isthatyou,Bob?heasked,doubtfully.Isthatyou,JimmyWells?criedthemaninthedoor.Blessmyheart!exclaimedthenewarrival,graspingboththeother'shandswithhisown.It'sBob,sureasfate.IwascertainI'dfindyouhereifyouwerestillinexistence.Well,well,well!--twentyyearsisalongtime.Theoldgone,Bob;Iwishithadlasted,sowecouldhavehadanotherdinnerthere.HowhastheWesttreatedyou,oldman?Bully;ithasgivenmeeverythingIaskeditfor.You'vechangedlots,Jimmy.Ineverthoughtyouweresotallbytwoorthreeinches.Oh,IgrewabitafterIwastwenty.DoingwellinNewYork,Jimmy?Moderately.Ihaveapositioninoneofthecitydepartments.Comeon,Bob;we'llgoaroundtoaplaceIknowof,andhaveagoodlongtalkaboutoldtimes.Thetwomenstartedupthestreet,arminarm.ThemanfromtheWest,hisegotismenlargedbysuccess,wasbeginningtooutlinethehistoryofhiscareer.Theother,submergedinhisovercoat,listenedwithinterest.Atthecornerstoodadrugstore,brilliantwithelectriclights.Whentheycameintothisglareeachofthemturnedsimultaneouslytogazeupontheother'sface.ThemanfromtheWeststoppedsuddenlyandreleasedhisarm.You'renotJimmyWells,hesnapped.Twentyyearsisalongtime,butnotlongenoughtochangeaman'snosefromaRomantoapug.Itsom