After 20 Years - short story
AFTER 20 YEARS SCRIPT
BY O. HENRY
Script by Lecochom
Characters of the play:
—>Young Bob- (18 yo, with high school complete, vivid eyes, energetic, playful, thirsty of hearing that people on the west are making fortune, his mind is set to go and venture himself )
—>Young Jimmy- (20 yo, friend of Bob, finish high School, thinking in continuing studying but no sure yet what, whist to work too)
Narrator (speaker sound voice )
Bob after 20 year. 38years now (is also known as “silky Bob”, he changed, has a pale . Square jawed face with keen eyes, and a little scar above his right eyebrow)
Jimmy after 20years, 40 yo. (He is a cop now, and has some years of experience in the police force, loves his job, and is an abide citizen, good heart and respect the law before anything)
Random Cop. (A police patrol around 40 years, experienced cop, greeting the people and making sure that street is is on order.)
ACT 1
Narrator:
The time was barely 10 o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh depeopled the streets.
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 vicinity was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.
Random Police:
→The officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger
(Acts on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was habitual and not for show, for spectators were few…
When about midway of a certain block suddenly slowed your walk and stop near the corner and walks towards the a man standing in dark corner)
Bob
(Has a little scar above the right eyebrow, dress likes a gangster, has a shiny ring, watch, tie and and jewelry, looks his watch once more, and glance the large avenue, he is
At the doorway of a darkened hardware store looking around and wondering about the signage, then lean on the wall, almost by the entrance, takes a cigar, then the unlighted cigar put the mouth, with no hurry.. but As he sees the policeman was to him, he spoke up quickly)
"It's all right, officer," (reassuringly)
"I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands--'Big Joe' Brady's restaurant."
Random Police:
"Until five years ago," (quick pause)
"It was torn down then."
Bob:
(lit his cigar with a matches)
"Twenty years ago to-night," (pause)
"I dined here at 'Big Joe' Brady's with Jimmy Wells, my best chum, and the finest chap in the world. He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldn't have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. 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."
Random Police:
( listening and nodding his head )
"It sounds pretty interesting,"
"Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me. Haven't you heard from your friend since you left?"
Bob:
"Well, yes, for a time we corresponded,"
"But after a year or two we lost track of each other. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the truest, stanchest old 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 turns up."
( pull up to see time, shows a shiny watch with diamonds )
"Three minutes to ten,"
(Make a slightly look the face of the officer )
"It was exactly ten o'clock when we parted here at the restaurant door."
Random Police:
"Did pretty well out West, didn't you?"
Bob:
"You bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was. I've had to compete with some of the sharpest wits going to get my pile. A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him."
Random Police:
(Twirling his club, slowly steps away…)
"I'll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Going to call time on him sharp?"
Bob:
"I should say not!" (Short Clicking sound with in the mount)
"I'll give him half an hour at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth he'll be here by that time. So long, officer."
Random Police:
(as he leaves passing on along his beat, trying doors as he goes.)
"Good-night, sir,"
Narrator:
There was now a fine, cold drizzle falling, and the wind had risen from its uncertain puffs into a steady blow. The few foot passengers astir in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, uncertain almost to absurdity, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited.
About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man.
Undercover cop :
(Rush towards Bob, doubtfully ask)
"Is that you, Bob?"
Bob:
(Loud cried … surprise emotion)
"Is that you, Jimmy Wells?"
Undercover Cop:
"Bless my heart!" (exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other's hands with his own)
"It's Bob, sure as fate. I was certain I'd find you here if you were still in existence. Well, well, well! --twenty years is a long time. The old gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?"
Bob:
"Bully; it has given me everything I asked it for. You've changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches."
Undercover Cop:
"Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty."
Bob:
"Doing well in New York, Jimmy?"
Undercover cop:
"Moderately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob; we'll go around to a place I know of, and have a good long talk about old times."
Narrator:
The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, his egotism enlarged by success, was beginning to outline the history of his career. The other, submerged in his overcoat, listened with interest.
At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare each of them turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other's face.
The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.
Bob:
"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."
Undercover Cop:
"It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one, said the tall man. "You've been under arrest for ten minutes, 'Silky' Bob.
Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That's sensible.
Now, before we go on to the station here's a note I was asked to hand you. You may read it here at the window. It's from Patrolman Wells."
Bob:
(unfolded the little piece of paper handed him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short.)
Narrator: (Reads as Bob hold the note)
"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.
JIMMY."
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