Refer to explorations in literature for a complete version of this story. read this excerpt from "after twenty years." 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 which statement best explains o. henry’s choice to have jimmy write the note to bob? it explains why jimmy does not come to meet bob at the appointed time and place twenty years later. it illustrates the fact that jimmy is weak in character, and after twenty years only bob really made something of himself. it provides the reader with insight into jimmy's character and illustrates how different the two men are after twenty years. it shows the reader that jimmy is a man of the law and needs to explain to bob why he was unable to meet bob as planned.