Thursday, December 18, 2008

Holmes and Watson


On a Monday at 12:30PM, inside a No.17 METRO bus:

"Does this bus go to Seven Hills?"

"No, this is the Colerain bus."

"Oh! Sorry, Thanks."

The driver closes the door and the bus departs the stop. Having witnessed the conversation from their seat, Holmes turns to his friend and asks:

"Now, what can you tell me about him, Watson?"

"Hmm... either he can't read or he has hypermetropia. Or both."

"Ha ha hah. No, Watson. That is the doctor in you speaking. Of course he can see well and read well. Can you not see that him and his two pals at the bus stop are students very nervous about their exam later today?"

"What? How do you know that?"

"Well, they are standing at a bus stop in a residential area very close to the University; they obviously don't have a car and are not familiar with the bus schedules; and based on their physical appearance, is it not obvious that they are first year international graduate students at the University and that at least one of them lives nearby? In fact, I think that these three students share the same apartment as well."

"Okay, may be so. But, the bit about the exam, you must be mistaken. Definitely not an exam today. The exams were over last week for the students. I know that for a fact since my nephew goes to UC too."

"My dear Watson, as you pointed out, the University exams for this quarter concluded last Friday. That is exactly why I said what I said. By exam, I wasn't referring to an University exam, I meant that these three students are going to take the written exam for the driver's license at the Seven Hills DMV Office. Where else would a group of three first year international graduate students be going to on the No. 17 Seven Hills bus, on the Monday morning of their winter break- the day when the school is closed but the DMV office is open? And considering the fact that METRO buses are generally late by few minutes, the Seven Hills bus they are waiting for is probably running a bit late. They obviously knew that this was the Colerain bus, they just wanted to make sure that they don't miss their bus today. Wouldn't you say that are a nervous bunch?"

"Wow, that is insightful."

"That was elementary, my dear Watson. If you want something insightful, let me tell you that the two of them standing at the stop are possibly distant relatives and quite dislike each other, but no one who knows them will believe that. And the student who spoke to the bus driver is the second child of a rather large family and has at least 3 other younger siblings whom he adores. Also, the three of them have studied together at high school or somewhere before but went different ways and are back together again now."

"I believe you."
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Monday, December 08, 2008

Quote of the day


Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing.

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