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Jimmy Wells is a police officer and Bob’s best friend from childhood. While Bob decided to move out West to pursue his fortune, Jimmy chose instead to remain in New York, eventually becoming a police officer. He is also no ordinary police officer, but a particularly impressive and respectable one, walking with confidence and swagger and artfully twirling his club. His ability to remain calm while masking his identity to Bob also suggests great emotional and mental intelligence, as well as decades of experience in law enforcement. Despite having just discovered that his old friend is a wanted man, he does not let on about his identity, politely inquiring after his friend’s life without seeming too suspicious. Furthermore, despite arresting Bob at the end of the story, Jimmy also shows loyalty and affection for his old friend. Though Bob does not know it at the time, Jimmy does actually show up on time— early, in fact— for their meeting, showing he is every bit as reliable as Bob says he is. Moreover, out of loyalty to the memory of their relationship, Jimmy also chooses to not arrest Bob himself. Thus, he respects their friendship while still fulfilling his duty as a guardian of the peace.
Jimmy Wells Quotes in After Twenty Years
The After Twenty Years quotes below are all either spoken by Jimmy Wells or refer to Jimmy Wells. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
After Twenty Years
Quotes
Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye adown the pacific thoroughfare, the officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly.
“It’s alright, officer,” he said reassuringly. “I’m just waiting for a friend. It’s an appointment I made twenty years ago.”
We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be.
But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he’s alive, for he always was the truest staunchest chap in the world. He’ll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door to-night, and it’s worth it if my old partner shows up.
You bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a good kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was. A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him.
“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.”
“It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,” said the tall man. “You’ve been under arrest for ten minutes.”
His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished.
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 plain clothes man to do the job.
Get the entire After Twenty Years LitChart as a printable PDF.
Jimmy Wells Quotes in After Twenty Years
The After Twenty Years quotes below are all either spoken by Jimmy Wells or refer to Jimmy Wells. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
After Twenty Years
Quotes
Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye adown the pacific thoroughfare, the officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly.
“It’s alright, officer,” he said reassuringly. “I’m just waiting for a friend. It’s an appointment I made twenty years ago.”
We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be.
But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he’s alive, for he always was the truest staunchest chap in the world. He’ll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door to-night, and it’s worth it if my old partner shows up.
You bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a good kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was. A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him.
“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.”
“It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,” said the tall man. “You’ve been under arrest for ten minutes.”
His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished.
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 plain clothes man to do the job.
