After Twenty Years - O.Henry

After Twenty Years

-     O.Henry

1.    Describe the policeman on the beat.

Ans. The policeman moved up the street of his beat (area of duty) in a very impressive manner. It was his natural style. He was keeping his alert eyes at the people’s movements on the main road. His strong figure with a slight swagger (to walk in a very showy and proud manner) made him a fine picture of a guardian of peace. He also kept twirling (spinning) his staff (stick) in a very artistic way while doing his duty.

2.    What did the man in the doorway tell him?

Ans. The man assured the cop that he was not going to do any illegal activity there. He was just waiting for a friend who had made a promise to meet him there after twenty years back.

3.    How did Bob describe Jimmy?

Ans. Bob said that Jimmy Wells was his best friend and the finest person in the world. Both of them were raised (brought up) in New York. They were like brothers and he was of eighteen and Jimmy was twenty years at that time.

4.    How did the patrolman know that Bob has been doing well?

Ans. Bob pulled out a handsome watch having the lid set with small diamonds. Then the patrolman came to know that Bob had been doing well

5.    When did Bob realize that the man he was talking to was not Jimmy Wells? How did he react?

Ans. While talking, both of them came near a drug store. They could watch each other’s face clearly in the light. Suddenly, Bob’s eyes noticed that the other man’s nose was totally different from the one that Jimmy had. Bob reacted angrily and drew his arm back from the other man’s grip.

6.    ‘He was a kind of plodder. Though good fellow as he was.’

a.    Who said this and to whom? b.    What does he mean? c.     Is the speaker criticizing his friend? d.    What is the meaning of plodder?

Ans. Bob said these words to the policeman.

b. Bob meant to say that Jimmy was slow at work. He had no big ambition to go out of New York in search of big fortune.

c. It does not seem that he was criticizing his friend.

d. One who works slowly and steadily but without imagination.

7.    ‘You’re not Jimmy Wells!’ he snapped. ‘Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man’s nose from a Roman to a pug.’

a.    Who is the speaker? b.    Who is the speaker addressing? c.     Why does the speaker say this?

Ans. Bob is the speaker here.

b. The speaker is addressing to that person who came in place of Jimmy Wells.

c. Bob says this because he had come to know that the other person was not Jimmy Wells, his old friend.

8.”It’s all right, officer,” he said “I’m just waiting for a friend.”

Who is the speaker? Where was he waiting for his friend?

Ans. The speaker is the man standing in the doorway of a darkened hardware store with an unlighted cigar in his mouth, waiting for his friend.

9. How do his possessions help us to understand his economic situation?

Ans. He was wearing a large diamond as his scarf pin which helped in understanding his economic situation. Later he pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds.

 10. Who was the listener? Comment on the impressiveness of this man.

Ans. The listener was a policeman who on the beat moved up the avenue, impressively. The impressiveness was habitual and not for show, for spectators were few.

11. At what hour was the conversation among the two taking place?

Ans. The time was barely ten o’clock at night when the conversation took place.

12. Give a brief description of the weather during the conversation.

Ans. Chilly gusts of winds were blowing with a taste of rain in them, which had well nigh driven most people off the streets.

13. Why was the speaker waiting for his friend?

Ans. The speaker was waiting for his friend because it was an appointment made twenty years ago to meet at Big Joe Brady’s restaurant.

14. “Twenty years ago tonight,” said the man, ”I dined here at Big Joe Brady’s with Jimmy Wells”.

a. Who was Jimmy Wells? b. According to the speaker, what kind of a person was he?

Ans. Jimmy Wells is the speaker’s best chum and the finest chap in the world.

15. What information did the speaker give the policeman about their relationship twenty years ago?

Ans. The speaker and Jimmy Wells were raised in New York, just like two brothers, together.

16. Why did both the friends meet at Big Joe Brady’s restaurant?

Ans. Both the friends met at Big Joe Brady’s restaurant to dine and decide about their next meeting since they were parting in order to make their fortune.

17. What was the agreement made between the two of them?

Ans. The speaker and Jimmy Wells agreed to meet again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what their conditions might be or from what distance they might have come. They figured that in twenty years each of them ought to have their destiny worked out and their fortunes made, whatever they were going to be.

18. “Well, yes, for a time we corresponded,” said the other.

 Who said these words and to whom?

Ans. The waiting man said these words to the policeman.

19. For how long did the two friends correspond with each other?

Ans. The two friends corresponded for a year or two and then lost track of each other.

20. What was the reason given by the speaker for not being in contact with each other for long?

Ans. The reason given by the speaker was that the West was a pretty big proposition and he kept hustling around over it, pretty lively.

21. Even though the two friends could not correspond for long, still the speaker was very sure of his friend’s arrival. Why?

Ans. The speaker was very sure that his friend Jimmy would definitely come because he was always the truest and staunchest old chap in the world and so he thought he would never forget.

22. What are the differences between the good fellow and the speaker?

Ans. The difference between the good fellow and the speaker was that the speaker had to compete with some of the sharpest wits going to get his pile in the west, whereas the good fellow (Jimmy) must have done half as well because a man gets in a groove staying in New York.

  

23.” I’ll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around alright.”

1. For how long would Bob wait for his friend?

Ans. If his friend was late he would wait for him for half an hour, he said that if Jimmy was alive on earth he would be there by that time.

24. What was the weather like then? Give a brief description of the scene at that hour of time?

Ans, There was a fine cold drizzle falling and the wind had risen from its uncertain puffs into a steady blow. The few pedestrians in the neighbourhood hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands.

25. How did the man feel, waiting for his friend in the doorway? How long did he wait?

Ans. Bob who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, felt uncertain almost to absurdity with the friend of his youth. He waited for half an hour.

26.”Is that you, Bob?” he asked doubtfully.

1. Who said these words? Describe this man who asked doubtfully.

Ans. The man who asked doubtfully was a tall man who was wearing a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears who hurried across from the opposite side of the street.

27. How did he react towards Bob?

Ans, He went directly to Bob asked if it was him then grasped Bobs hand with his own and sounded quite sure about him. He was certain that he would find him there if Bob was still in existence. He reminded Bob that twenty years was a long time and the old restaurant had gone.

28. What did he wish for?

Ans, He wished to dine in The Big Joe Brady’s restaurant once again and wished it had lasted, so they could have another dinner in Big Joe Brady’s restaurant.

29.”You’re not Jimmy Wells,” he snapped.

1. When did Bob suspect that the man he was talking to, was not his old friend, Jimmy Wells?

Ans. Bob suspected the man when they came into the glare of the brilliant electric lights of the drug store and each turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other’s face.

30. What was the reason given by Bob for suspicion?

Ans. Bob said that twenty years was a long time but not long enough to change a man’s nose from a Roman to a pug.

31. Why didn’t Jimmy Wells make himself known to his old friend?

Ans. Jimmy Wells didn’t make himself known to his old friend because when he came to meet Bob at the appointed place on time , in the light of the match he realized it was Bob’s face that was the face of the man wanted in Chicago.

32. What were the contents of the note handed over to Bob?

Ans. The content of the note were -Bob, I was at the appointed place on time, when you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face wanted in Chicago. Somehow I could not do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothed man to do the job.