After Twenty Years

Before we find out that the police officer we meet in the beginning is in fact Bob’s loyal friend Jimmy, the reader only hears about Jimmy’s attributes through Bob. Bob describes Jimmy not only as his “best chum” and like a “brother” to him, but also as “the finest chap in the world” who would certainly fulfill his promise to meet Bob 20 years later (Paragraph 7), as he is “the truest, staunchest old chap in the world” (Paragraph 9). As positive as these personality traits are, Bob also gives a few negative opinions of Jimmy’s character, believing that Jimmy hasn’t found as much success as Bob due to his being “kind of a plodder” (Paragraph 13). Jimmy listens and does not argue with any of these statements, which shows that he is able to keep his emotions in check while he discovers that his old friend is now a notorious criminal. After another character, a plainclothes officer, is revealed to be pretending to be Jimmy, it becomes clear that Jimmy has stayed true to his word: he showed up at the meeting place 20 years later. While Jimmy does decide to turn in his friend, he also could not bring himself to be the one to arrest him. The fact that he wants Bob to know this supports Bob’s original description of him as a someone who is loyal and true to his word. Bob’s understanding of Jimmy in the past is no longer an accurate description. Jimmy has changed from a slow mover to an important, confident police officer, and the fact that he turned in his own best friend is a testament to his loyalty to his work and the trust his colleagues and the city has in him. Jimmy is a kind of antagonist, but he is also set up as a foil to Bob. Jimmy shows the path of moral fortitude not taken by Bob, and they each receive the appropriate consequences for their choices.