There are exactly 221 words in this little story, despite what ff says! ;)
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On deducing details of the lives of the general population, there are countless clues to discover. The intelligence of one's speech, (or lack thereof), their overall demeanor, the way they dress and even the way they walk. As I have told Watson many times, the hands are one of the most important clues, as they often show evidence of a person's occupation.
Scores of clients have reacted with shock when I showed my knowledge of certain particulars that they had not consciously revealed, but the art of deduction is not as difficult as they would imagine; as long as one uses all of their powers of observation, it can really be quite simple.
For instance, upon noticing a particular man sharing my train compartment, it was quite obvious that he hadn't planned to travel this day. His hair was slightly disheveled, and his coat was fastened incorrectly, due to the haste of unexpectedly hurrying to catch said train. The coat was obviously new, and appeared to fasten differently than the one that the man had previously been used to. It was nearing time for dinner, and the man smoothed his hair down before standing.
"Watson," I said.
My friend looked at me.
"Your coat."
Watson looked down at himself, before making a sound of annoyance and adjusting the fasteners. "Dastardly buttons…!"