2.After Twenty Years(935)

Ninth grade rewrite

After Twenty Years

【1】A policeman was patrolling the avenue with a sense of authority, though there were few people around to witness his presence. It was just past nine in the evening, and the chilly breeze hinted at impending rain, which had driven most people indoors.

【2】The officer checked doors and swung his club with practiced ease, his sharp eyes scanning the quiet street. His strong build and a subtle air of command made him a formidable figure of law enforcement.

【3】The area was known for its early closing hours. Occasionally, the lights of a cigar store or an all-night diner would shine, but most of the buildings were already shut down for the night. As the policeman reached the middle of a particular block, he noticed a man standing in the doorway of a darkened hardware store, a cigar unlit in his mouth.

【4】The officer approached, and the man spoke up quickly, "It's all right, officer. I'm just waiting for a friend. We made this appointment twenty years ago. I know it sounds odd, but I'll explain if you're concerned. There used to be a restaurant here, Big Joe Brady's. It's been gone for five years now."

【5】The man lit his cigar, and the match revealed a face with a square jaw, sharp eyes, and a small scar near his eyebrow. His tiepin was a large diamond, set in an unusual way.

【6】"Twenty years ago tonight," he continued, "I dined here with Jimmy Wells, my best friend. We grew up together in New York, like brothers. I was eighteen, and he was twenty.

【7】The next morning, I was heading west to chase my dreams. Jimmy wouldn't leave New York; he thought it was the only place worth living. We promised to meet here again, no matter what, in twenty years. We figured we'd both have our lives figured out by then."

【8】The policeman was intrigued. "That's a long time between meetings. Haven't you heard from your friend since you left?"

【9】"We kept in touch for a while," the man replied. "But after a year or two, we lost touch. The West is vast, and I've been moving around a lot. But I believe Jimmy will be here if he's still alive. He was always the most loyal friend. I traveled a thousand miles to keep this promise. It's worth it if my old friend shows up."

【10】The man checked his watch, a handsome one with diamond-set lids. "Three minutes to ten," he announced. "It was exactly ten o'clock when we parted here at the restaurant door."

【11】The policeman nodded and moved on. "I'll be on my way. I hope your friend arrives soon. Are you leaving right away?"

"I'm not leaving," the man said firmly. "I'll wait at least half an hour. If Jimmy's alive, he'll be here by then. Good night, officer."

【12】The policeman continued his beat as the rain began to fall. The man in the doorway waited, smoking his cigar.

After about twenty minutes, a tall man in a long coat approached from across the street. He went straight to the waiting man.

【13】"Is that you, Bob?" he asked, sounding unsure.

"Is that you, Jimmy Wells?" the man in the doorway exclaimed.

"Bob, it's really you!" the newcomer said, taking both the man's hands. "I was sure I'd find you here if you were still around. Twenty years is a long time. The restaurant's gone, but I wish it were still here for us to have another meal. How has the West treated you?"

【14】"It's been good to me. You've changed a lot, Jimmy. I didn't think you'd grow so tall."

"I grew a bit after twenty," Jimmy said.

"Are you doing well in New York?" Bob asked.

【15】"I'm doing okay. I have a job with the city. Let's go to a place I know and catch up on old times."

The two men walked up the street, arm in arm. Bob, proud of his success, began to share his story. Jimmy, hidden in his coat, listened with interest.

At the corner, a brightly lit drugstore caught their attention. As they stepped into the light, they both turned to look at each other's faces.

【16】Bob suddenly stopped and let go of Jimmy's arm. "You're not Jimmy Wells," he said sharply. "Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change the size of a man's nose."

【17】"It can change a good man into a bad one," the tall man said. "You've been under arrest for ten minutes, 'Silky' Bob. Chicago wants to talk to you. Are you going quietly? That's smart. Before we go to the station, here's a note from Policeman Wells. You can read it here."

【18】Bob opened the note. His hand was steady at first, but it shook a bit as he finished reading. The note was brief:

Bob: I was here on time. When you lit your cigar, I recognized you as the man wanted in Chicago. I couldn't do it myself, so I got a detective to handle it.

【19】The story of Bob and Jimmy is a tale of friendship, promises, and the unexpected twists life can bring. It shows the importance of keeping your word and how sometimes, things don't go as planned.

九年级改写

二十年后

【1】一名警察带着一种权威感在大街上巡逻，尽管周围几乎没有人看到他的存在。当时是晚上9点刚过，寒冷的微风预示着即将下雨，大多数人都已躲进了室内。

【2】警官检查了门，熟练地挥动着警棍，锐利的眼睛扫视着安静的街道。他强健的体格和微妙的指挥气质使他成为一个令人敬畏的执法人物。

【3】这个地区以关门早著称。偶尔，雪茄店或通宵餐厅的灯光会亮起来，但大多数建筑都已经关闭了。当警察走到一个特定街区的中央时，他注意到一个男人站在一家黑暗的五金店门口，嘴里叼着一支未点燃的雪茄。

【4】警官走过来，那人很快地说:“没事的，警官。我在等一个朋友。我们20年前就约好了。我知道这听起来很奇怪，但如果你担心的话，我会解释的。这里以前有家餐厅，大乔·布雷迪。它已经消失五年了。”

【5】那人点燃了他的雪茄，火柴露出一张脸，方下巴，锐利的眼睛，眉毛附近有一个小伤疤。他的领带夹是一颗很大的钻石，镶嵌的方式很不寻常。

【6】“20年前的今晚，”他继续说道，“我和我最好的朋友吉米·威尔斯在这里共进晚餐。我们在纽约一起长大，像兄弟一样。我18岁，他20岁。

【7】第二天早上，我向西去追逐我的梦想。吉米不愿离开纽约;他认为这是唯一值得住的地方。我们曾约定二十年后，无论发生什么，都要在这里再见面。我们觉得到那时我们俩的生活都有了头绪。”

【8】警察很感兴趣。“会面之间间隔了很长时间。你离开后没有收到你朋友的信吗?”

【9】“我们保持了一段时间的联系，”那个人回答说。“但一两年后，我们失去了联系。西方是广阔的，我经常搬家。但我相信吉米会在这里，如果他还活着的话。他一直是我最忠实的朋友。我千里迢迢来履行这个诺言。如果我的老朋友出现了，那就值得了。”

【10】那人检查了他的手表，那是一块镶着钻石表盖的漂亮手表。“差三分钟十点。”他宣布。“我们在饭店门口分手的时候，正好是十点钟。”

【11】警察点点头，继续往前走。“我这就走。我希望你的朋友快点到。你马上就走吗?”

“我不走，”那人坚定地说。“我至少要等半个小时。如果吉米还活着，到那时他就到了。晚安，警官。”

【12】开始下雨时，警察继续巡逻。门口的男人抽着雪茄等着。

大约过了二十分钟，一个穿长外套的高个子男人从街对面走过来。他径直走向等候的人。

【13】“是你吗，鲍勃?”他问道，语气有些不确定。

“是你吗，吉米·威尔斯?”门口的人叫道。

“鲍勃，真的是你!”新来的人说着，抓住了那个人的双手。“如果你还在这儿，我肯定会在这儿找到你的。二十年是很长的一段时间。餐厅没了，但我希望它还在，我们可以再吃一顿。西部对你怎么样?”

【14】“这对我很好。你变了很多，吉米。我没想到你会长得这么高。”

“我二十岁以后长了一点，”吉米说。

“你在纽约过得好吗?”鲍勃问。

【15】“我很好。我在市政府有份工作。我们去一个我知道的地方叙叙旧吧。”

这两个人手挽着手在街上走着。鲍勃为自己的成功感到骄傲，开始分享他的故事。吉米藏在大衣里，饶有兴趣地听着。

在街角，一家灯火通明的药店引起了他们的注意。当他们走到灯光下时，他们都转过身来看着对方的脸。

【16】鲍勃突然停下来，放开了吉米的胳膊。“你不是吉米·威尔斯，”他严厉地说。“二十年是很长一段时间，但还不足以改变一个人鼻子的大小。”

【17】“它能把一个好人变成一个坏人，”高个子说。“你已经被捕十分钟了，‘丝滑’鲍勃。芝加哥想和你谈谈。你要安静地走吗?这是聪明的。在我们去警局之前，这是威尔斯警察的便条。你可以在这里阅读。”

【18】鲍勃打开了纸条。他的手起初很稳，但读完后有点发抖。字条很简短:

鲍勃:我是准时到的。当你点燃雪茄时，我认出你就是芝加哥通缉的那个人。我自己做不到，所以我找了个警探来处理。

【19】鲍勃和吉米的故事是一个关于友谊、承诺和生活中意想不到的曲折的故事。它显示了信守诺言的重要性，以及有时候事情并不会按计划进行。