A/N: Prompt 2 from goodpenmanship: A client leaves a peculiar item at 221B Baker Street.
This is what happens when one looks up "mad Victorian inventions"...
Peculiar
Limping a little, John Watson returned to the parlour,
And leant on his silver-tipped cane.
He noticed that Holmes was perusing a somewhat peculiar item,
Excitement writ plain.
A stick, with curved handle, and numerous oddly shaped gadgets were randomly
Scattered around.
He watched as his flat mate clicked mouthpiece to pole, then blew softly, lips pursed;
A most musical sound.
A second attachment, located and fitted; an intricate, black silk
Umbrella unfurled;
Deft fingers unscrewed it, a series of clicks, and a butterfly net was revealed
To the world.
Oblivious still, to the doctor's arrival, the happy detective,
Tobacco in hand,
Then fastened three tubes with theatrical flourish, assembling an oddly shaped pipe,
On a stand.
He smoked for a while, with intense satisfaction, absorbed in the moment,
Soon over, of course
As he tipped out the ash, then extended a right-angled ruler, intended
To measure a horse.
Watson stood silently, gawped in amazement as objects were added,
Admired then replaced;
Amused by his comrade's quite obvious glee, as he tested all options
With frivolous haste.
He coughed, quite discreetly, to catch his attention, took care not to startle
Holmes, wielding a sword.
He deduced that, for once, his demanding companion, despite lack of cases,
Was clearly not bored.
Holmes turned to the doctor, and lowered his weapon, replacing the blade
With a slim brandy flask;
"As you see, my dear Watson, this gift from a client, if swapped with your cane
Could assist every task."
Watson surveyed all the paraphernalia, strewn most haphazardly
Over the mat;
Eyed it all thoughtfully, spoke, "My dear fellow, just how do you think
I could carry all that?
And if I am busy with rulers and nets and a flute and a pipe and...
That weird-looking fork,
How can it possibly serve the main function, a cane's one true purpose;
And help me to walk?"
~0~
Holmes dropped the fork, in a crestfallen manner, then stared at his friend;
Disappointed, upset.
"Sadly true, my dear Watson, such mad multitasking is destined
To end up in failure, and yet..."
His friend interrupted , a compromise needed, he made Holmes an offer
He might just regret;
So off they both strolled, arm in arm, to the park, with their cane/sword/flute/ruler/flask/
Butterfly net.
~0~
a/n 2: I blame this entirely on a picture I found, of a startlingly multipurpose walking stick :-p