Prompt: An unusual Christmas dinner, from mrspencil

A very Merry Christmas to everyone!

Though Holmes and I were now nearing our seventh decades, we found that the slower pace of life in Sussex Downs was made better by the occasional punctuation of greater activity. So it was that Holmes and I found ourselves on a trip to America in December of 1921. Holmes had been invited to tour the Pinkerton Detective Agency and we decided to make a tour of it, neither of us having visited our neighbor across the Atlantic before.

It became clear upon arriving in New York City that our own capital appeared to have been displaced as the center of culture, and that this new world city lived life at a pace that I could not have followed every day. I rarely saw anyone but that they were running, and the constant construction of new buildings made the city feel as if it never stopped for a moment. I had thought London a vibrant city, but I saw now that when I returned, it would feel staid and trapped in its past.

"I find it hard to believe this city has a past," Holmes said when I mentioned this to him. "It has changed hands from the Dutch to the British and now the Americans, yet you see no evidence of this."

This was true, for while I could not point to any evidence that the Dutch had ever been in possession of the city, I could name five different languages within earshot that were neither Dutch nor English, a hallmark of the immigration wave to this city over the last few decades. We spent much of the week we had in New York City exploring, taking in not only Central Park, that oasis of green framed by the huge skyscrapers all around, but concerts, musical comedies on America's answer to the West End, Broadway, and visiting the many museums the city had to offer. Though I was just as content to simply watch the crowds go by, as it seemed something worth watching was always happening. The city that never sleeps, indeed.

We were so caught up in enjoying our holiday that it had not occurred to either one of us that we would be in New York City for Christmas Day. As we did not have family to celebrate with, we had thought it would be pleasant to spend the day abroad. It did not occur to us that most restaurants would be closed.

"Why the deuce did we not think of this?" Holmes asked as we circled the streets, looking for any restaurant that might be open.

"I suppose we had never had to before," I said. The cold was beginning to seep into my bones, and I found myself wishing we had simply stayed at the hotel. Though the activity on the streets was hardly any less than on any other day. We walked from our hotel at what we had been told was called Midtown to the harbor, as far downtown as we could go.

We had learned quickly that knowing directions did not help when navigating the congested streets of New York City, but all that was needed instead was to know whether one was going farther "up" or "down" from where one already was. This and the numbered grid pattern of the streets meant the city was extraordinarily easy to navigate. It was the first time I had ever been the equal of Holmes in finding my way through a place, without the excessive memorizing of maps he usually took upon himself.

Though I will add that it was a good thing the streets were so simple, for the subway system was not. I found it a confusing mess of varied lines, and no logic as to whether the train in question ought to be numbered or lettered.

"Well, there are certainly no restaurants here," Holmes said, irritation evident in his voice.

"There is that," I said, indicating one of the ever present hot dog stands we had yet to try. At Holmes's incredulous look, I added, "It is part of the experience."

"If you had heard what I have about the contents of these 'hot dogs' you would not be suggesting it," Holmes said. "But as we seem to have no other option, very well."

I was glad he agreed, for while I was far too hungry to continue arguing I confess I had been curious to try one of New York's famous street hot dogs. Upon buying one each, we ate in silence on a nearby bench, from which we could see Lady Liberty, that symbol of hope to all who entered New York harbor and the New World, no longer bronze as she had been, but a light green.

"Well," Holmes said. "That was certainly the most unique meal I have ever had. I will not speculate on the quality-"

"Nor the cleanliness of it," I added quickly.

"Certainly not," Holmes agreed. "But it was-"

"Excellent," I finished, reading his conclusion on his face. "I find I would not mind a second, in fact."

Holmes burst out laughing. "Neither would I, my dear Watson, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you as well, Holmes."

A/N: This was inspired by a real historical incident, when in 1939 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were on a state visit to the US, and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt served them hot dogs at a picnic instead of a fancy state dinner as a taste of "real American food"

Hot dog carts first appeared in NYC in the late 1800s and the Statue of Liberty was no longer bronze in 1921, having finished turning green by 1906.

NYC's subway system, at this time, was still run by three separate companies, which explains why Watson complains that some trains are numbered and others lettered with no logic as to which. They were not consolidated under one umbrella until 1940 - though as a holdover, the subway lines to this day still use both letters and numbers for different trains, and still have no logic as to which ones are which.