Speaking of my old friend and biographer, I would take this opportunity to remark….Watson has some remarkable characteristics of his own, to which in his modesty he has given small attention…
Hello Watsonians,
Today we add to our series of brief biographic interviews with some of the members of JHWS. Our members, like the good Dr. Watson, have some remarkable characteristics of their own, and we would like to give some small attention to them.
The interview today is with one of the best friends of the JHWS: Ron Lies of Colorado. Our society is certainly enriched by his On This Day feature, and by the warmth of his friendship.
Margie/ JHWS ‘Mopsy’
- Name/with bull pup moniker—
Ron Lies, ‘Chips’
- Current (city,state, country) location—
Denver, Colorado, USA
- How long have you been a devotee of Dr. Watson?
About 56 years. I read my first story at 12 years old and was transported into the world of 1895. The cases, the characters, in particular Dr. Watson attracted me. Holmes was not comfortable to me: I saw but I did not observe. Dr. Watson was the example of who I thought I was.
- Do you have a favorite canonical story?
Of the long stories, The Sign of Four. Of the short stories, The Veiled Lodger.
- What is your favorite quote from the canon?
The Game is Afoot. It became the signal to me to be able to leave where I was and go to where I could lose myself and be involved where I felt I belonged.
- If you could speak directly to anyone in the canon, who would you choose and why?
Dr. Watson. I want to try to find out how daily life was in the flat. The information that Watson left out the published cases and of course the unpublished cases.
- Are you fond of any particular canon adaptations—pastiche, radio, film?
No, The printed Cannon has never disappointed me.
- Do you have a local Watsonian/Sherlockian/Holmesian group you meet with on a regular basis?
The Out Patients group of Doctor Watson’s Neglected Patients in Denver Colorado. We meet the first Sunday of the month to study for a quiz on one of the cases from the Canon. And to catch up with other members of our group on matters both Sherlockian from books to movies to TV shows and everything in between and beyond in our “outside lives.”
- Do you have any recent Watsonian/Sherlockian/Holmesian projects/events you would like to tell us about?
A paper on how many times Holmes complimented Watson to prove that Holmes really cared for Watson as his closest, intelligent friend and companion, not just a biographer or in Arthur Conan Doyle’s terrible description of Watson “As Holmes’s rather Stupid Friend”
- If you could change one thing in the greater Watsonian/Sherlockian/Holmesian world, what would it be?
The attitude that everyone’s particular group or interest is the only one worth having. Allow every one’s view and interest the same respect you would like your opinion to be treated.
I love the idea of a paper on Holmes’s compliments to Watson! So much focus is given to Watson’s adoration of Holmes but I look forward to you pointing out that the feeling was mutual.
That paper idea sounds AWESOME!