John Watson's Blog
The Science of Friendship, a Guest Post by Sherlock Holmes

I don't write often. It hardly seems worthwhile to waste my valuable time sharing my methods with a public that cares little for careful observation. I am only doing so now because John has refused to do the shopping until I finish. He may be slow of observation, John, but he has certain powers of persuasion that cannot be denied.

Science, as I'm always reminding my chronicler, is at the heart of my methods, science and applied reasoning. Science gives me facts; reasoning chains those facts into a narrative. When all other narrative threads have failed, the one that remains must be true. It is that simple.

That's how I know.

The facts came first: Man, mid-thirties, veteran, medical, practical, dependable, and a host of other details that planted themselves unobtrusively in my consciousness. Then and there, I began picking through each of the possible narrative threads.

A handshake became a flatshare, and I ruled out immediate rejection.

A flatmate became a companion, and I ruled out loneliness.

A sounding-board became a colleague, and I ruled out uselessness.

A colleague became a necessity, and I ruled out a temporary arrangement.

A necessity became a gunshot, and I ruled out cowardice.

A gunshot became an offer to die, and I ruled out selfishness.

When every other thread had been ruled out, I was left with a single one: Friendship.

I believe I have now answered John's question and objections adequately. There is indeed a science to friendship. I see Mrs. Hudson has gone to the shops in the mean time.