Steam from the Warped Cogs of My Brain
DR KYLE
“Say that again.”
“He’s a steam powered machine so that’s obviously the main fuel, but I infuse it with a 7% solution of cocaine.”
“Why?”
“Seriously Dr Kyle, read a book.”
“I read plenty of books”
“Fiction! A novel!”
“Novels dilute knowledge into something puerile and basic. They are an insult to science.”
“So you’ve never heard of Sherlock Holmes?”
“No.”
“God damn it. I had so many jokes lined up.”
“That makes me glad I haven’t heard of this Holmes fellow. What kind of name is “Sherlock” anyway? Did someone misspell “Shamrock”?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll fill you in with the basics: Sherlock Holmes is a fictional crime detective, he makes logical deductions from these minor pieces of data. Things that most people wouldn’t notice. A spot of ink, mild weight loss, a hand tremor.”
“Sounds like a medical doctor I used to know- Joseph Bell.”
“Anyway, this steamboat is based on Holmes. Using newly developed camera technology it can observe minute details and then make deductions. I thought it could help out with your detective work.”
“I don’t do detective work anymore.”