A Brief Synopsis of 'After Twenty Years'

A twist ending is a sudden and unexpected turn of events in a story's conclusion. Before M.
Night Shyamalan, there was William Sydney Porter - better known as O. Henry - whose
legendary mastery of the twist ending in short stories is perhaps nowhere better exemplified than
in his 'After Twenty Years.'
'After Twenty Years' is a story of fewer than 1,300 words that opens with a policeman on night
patrol. It's nearly 10:00, and all's quiet as he walks his beat, checking locks for safety. Suddenly,
though, a figure standing in a doorway catches his attention, and he approaches. The person
speaks up and reassures the officer that he's not looking to cause any trouble - just waiting on a
friend with whom he'd made an appointment 20 years ago to meet at that spot.
The man lights a cigar and tells the lawman about his friend, Jimmy Wells, who'd been more like
a brother to him when they were younger. He praises Jimmy's character and assures the
policeman that he'll keep their appointment for 10:00. As it's already quite nearly ten, the officer
asks if the man will wait any longer for Jimmy, and the patient friend says he'll give him half an
hour as the lawman continues his patrol.
About 20 minutes later, another man approaches and calls to the waiting friend by name - Bob.
As the two men greet each other heartily, Bob begins to recognize some unfamiliar
characteristics in his friend; namely, he seems taller than he remembered. He accepts his friend's
reply that he'd grown some in 20 years, until they come across the bright lights of a drug store.
Here, Bob realizes that the man in front of him doesn't have the same nose as Jimmy, but it's far
too late for him to escape arrest from the plainclothesman posing as Jimmy. Before taking him
into custody, however, the officer hands Bob a note from Patrolman Wells whom he'd
unwittingly met earlier. In it, Jimmy admits he recognized Bob's face from a Chicago police
bulletin but didn't have the heart to bring him in himself when he had indeed made it to their
appointment on time without Bob's ever knowing.