Addicted

[rabidsamfan]

He only really feels alive when he is taking chances. Risking his fortune is respectable, so he plays the horses, and plays billiards, and misses the days when he could still defy the odds over a surgical table. But a revolver requires little finesse and only one good arm. A chase through a moonlit night here, a desperate search for clues there, even a battle or two: propriety doesn't frown on foolish heroics, thank heaven. He outwaits the tedious hours of Holmes' drugged lassitude by imagining adventures, and knows his house is glass.

Holmes has cocaine, but Watson has Holmes.






He only really feels alive when he is taking chances. Risking his fortune is respectable enough, so he plays the horses, and plays billiards, and misses the days when he could still defy the odds over a surgical table. But a revolver requires little finesse and only one good arm. A chase through a moonlit night here, a desperate search for clues there, even a battle or two: propriety doesn't frown on foolish heroics, thank heaven.

Holmes has cocaine, but Watson has Holmes, and he knows it too, while he marks the tedious hours by imagining something exciting to do.


hmm. needs a better last line

Comments

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

The last line is a little weak in the context of your strong prose, but serviceable, and I really like this look at his motivations! "Holmes has cocaine, but Watson has Holmes" sent chills down my spine...

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, I think you just spotted what the last line ought to be instead...

But how do I get in his awareness of it? think think think.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

what do you think of this version?

He only really feels alive when he is taking chances. Risking his fortune is respectable, so he plays the horses, and plays billiards, and misses the days when he could still defy the odds over a surgical table. But a revolver requires little finesse and only one good arm. A chase through a moonlit night here, a desperate search for clues there, even a battle or two: propriety doesn't frown on foolish heroics, thank heaven. He outwaits the tedious hours of Holmes' drugged lassitude by imagining adventures, and knows his house is glass.

Holmes has cocaine, but Watson has Holmes.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Oooh, yes. This version is 100 words of painful perfection.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Excellent. Thank you, I just revised the post to reflect the change (but put the original under a cut so the comments would still make sense.)

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

Fantastic!

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm not sure surgery counts exactly as an adrenaline charge, but I can't help but seeing it (especially in his era) as a kind of a gamble.

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

Oh, certain things in surgery definitely do count. You can definitely get a bit of a rush from the combat type procedures, especially, from knowing deep in the pit of your gut that 'I just saved this person's life.'

Along with that, of course, also comes the crashing guilt when they don't survive.

And people wonder why we have such high rates of drug addiction, divorce, and suicide...

[clevertoad.livejournal.com]

Yes, the revised version hit the target.
Bullseye.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

*whang!*

[pebbles66.livejournal.com]

Mmm, I like it very much!

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Cool

[(Anonymous)]

I like this because I believe it. I know people who came out of the military even in peace-time who were like Watson; they were trusted to take risks, and in civilian life, there weren't enough outlets.

Re: Cool

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I can believe Watson's an adrenaline junkie very easily.

Re: Cool

[clevertoad.livejournal.com]

Interesting observation -- caught something I'd noticed in several British novels written shortly after WWII, and even WWI. There were quite a few characters portrayed as the boys who'd gone straight from school into the service and didn't know another way of adult life; the men who didn't know what to do with themselves once the war was over and they were supposed to settle back into a life with no immediate danger. More than one author observed that in some cases, the lucky character was the one who hadn't survived to face the harder mundane struggle.

Yes, can see Watson as an adrenaline junkie; certainly someone who's used to taking risks and is energized by the challenge when one presents itself.

[danae_b]

Ruby pointed to to this - very painful, very strong. I like the revision especially.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Somehow I missed your comment, but I'm glad you liked the drabble.