“I was feeling drowsy and stupid” [NAVA]
We're lucky to have had Dr. Watson. Not only did he provide us with narratives of many of Sherlock Holmes's cases, but he stood in for us as well — an everyman.
In "The Red-Headed League," Watson tells us:
“I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbours, but I was always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings with Sherlock Holmes.”
Who can blame him? There's Holmes, making a complex mathematical calculation on a moving train in "Silver Blaze." Or nonchalantly describing the details of a roomful of murderers in "The Resident Patient."
When Holmes rattles off a very detailed description of Henry Baker in "The Blue Carbuncle," Watson admits:
“I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I am unable to follow you.”
It's a perfectly natural reaction to being around a genius. By comparison, even a highly intelligent person might seem less than average.
But while Watson may have told us of his stupidity, he was, after all, a medical man, which required a degree of intelligence. And certainly emotional intelligence, as Watson was compassionate and self-aware.
Sherlock Holmes himself knew something of stupidity — particularly how to feign it to get results. Consider how he deliberately misstated the color of the Aurora to trick Mrs. Smith into giving him the proper colors.
“Ah! She’s not that old green launch with a yellow line, very broad in the beam?”
“No, indeed. She’s as trim a little thing as any on the river. She’s been fresh painted, black with two red streaks.”
How fortunate we are that night Watson nor Holmes was actually stupid. Perhaps we can thank the education they got at Baker Street Elementary...
Baker Street Elementary follows the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in Victorian London. An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at www.bakerstreetelementary.org.
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