Today’s discussion topic is from our fellow JHWS member “Dash.” Thank you!
Are there any quotes from the Canon that you often use at work or in your everyday life?
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Compliments! Specifically: “You are a benefactor of the race.” (Watson to Holmes in “The Red-Headed League”), “It was very nice and complimentary of you.” (Holmes to Lestrade in “The Boscombe Valley Mystery”), and “You have done wonders – wonders!” (Sir James Damery to Holmes in “The Illustrious Client”).
“You see but you do not observe” – usually to mock my friends.
“I am afraid that in the pleasure of this conversation I am neglecting business of importance which awaits me elsewhere.” – I don’t use it as often as I’d like to.
“We can but try.” – I’ve used this phrase countless times in the past year.
What a great question! I’ve enjoyed reading the posts so far. I use so many, so often I can’t even list them all. I use those mentioned by Reggie and Carla alot, and another favorite: ‘certain gracious lady’ (used it today on Twitter). My husband and I have married-inside-joke conversations using quotes from BLUE. [Ok, we are a little strange, but he has been patiently married to a Sherlock nerd for 20+ years.]
The closest I can come to Canonicity is Holmes in STUD, “When I reached him, he was groping about frantically in the empty cab, and giving vent to the finest assorted collection of oaths that ever I listened to.” The cabman and I share a work-related penchant.
When I worked for a museum, I often would be asked by staff members why something occurred in history, looking for a simple, direct cause. I usually began by mentioning Professor Moriarty’s treatise on the dynamics of an asteroid, and explaining that, just as the asteroid’s course was affected by many different forces, so were decisions made in the past (and in our daily lives). The museum was run by our county parks department, and I was a civil servant. The Holmesian quote I used the most was to my staff upon receiving another ridiculous departmental directive: “Bleat! Unmitigated bleat!”