My Unknown Friend

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Stephen Leacock was a Canadian humorist and teacher. He wrote Literary Lapses, Nonsense Novels, and Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town.

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A Pullman is a luxury railway carriage. In the story, the narrator is sitting alone in a Pullman compartment when the stranger enters.

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He is well dressed, wears a long fur-lined coat, and carries an expensive-looking suitcase. These details make him look respectable and familiar.

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He pretends to recognise the narrator and acts like an old friend from the past. This false familiarity helps him begin the trick.

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He means that he is proud of his memory for people, though he finds it hard to remember names, faces, and appearances. The line is ironic because he still does not know who the stranger is.

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Irony is when words or situations mean something different from what first appears. The narrator thinks he is being clever, but the stranger is actually cheating him.

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He talks about the old gang, Billy, Pete, and a loss in a calm, friendly way. This makes the narrator feel that the man really knows him.

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Billy is an old gang member mentioned during the conversation. The stranger says Billy is ranching in Montana and was seen in Chicago.