Which Is Which?, also known as The Perfect Alibi, is a mystery short story by Isaac Asimov.
Part of the Union Club series, it was first published in the March 1982 issue of Gallery magazine and later collected in The Union Club Mysteries.
Summary[]
At the Union Club, Griswold recounts an instance where he made a citizen's arrest. The story involves two criminals, Moe and Joe, who were not related but looked remarkably similar. They cultivated this resemblance, dressing identically and using it to create alibis for each other during small-time crimes. One would commit a crime while the other established a verifiable alibi with witnesses, making it difficult for police to prove which one was guilty.
The system failed during an attempted theft at a jewelry store. Joe, attempting to steal a ring, was caught, and during a struggle with the jeweler, a gun went off and wounded the store owner. Joe fled the scene and was pursued by a policeman. Griswold, who happened to be nearby, joined the chase.
Joe ran into a hotel lobby where his partner, Moe, was waiting. When the policeman and Griswold entered, they found the two men dressed identically, each accusing the other of being the one who had just run in. Griswold immediately identified Joe as the culprit. He pointed out that both men wore glasses with lenses that darkened in sunlight. Joe, who had just run in from the bright street, had dark lenses, while Moe, who had been waiting indoors, had clear lenses. Confronted with this evidence and the seriousness of the charge, assault with a deadly weapon, Moe cooperated. Joe was convicted and imprisoned.
Characters[]
- Griswold
- Club Member (the narrator)
- Jennings
- Baranov
- Moe
- Joe
- The Policeman
- The Jeweler
- The Barbers
- The Boon Companions
See Also[]
List of short stories by Isaac Asimov