Coming Home, PART 2 (a Holmes and Watson fanfiction)

(back to Part 1)

* * *

Yes, something is wrong, indeed: I am, once again, alone.

Where is Watson? His armchair is empty. For a moment, a flash of frantic panic rushes through my mind, and I have to force myself to think logically again. That is the problem with emotions, they too often interfere with proper judgement!

Damn idiot!, I curse myself. What did you expect? You know very well that he is not in the habit of sleeping outside of a halfway decent bed! Finding me asleep, he must have retired to his old bedroom to lay down for the remains of the night.

Luckily those trains of thoughts still run swiftly enough, so that  my sudden anxiety is not lasting very long… but I have to convince myself, nevertheless. I have to see with my own eyes that he is really there.

So I put the blanket aside with which he – always the good doctor – must have covered my sleeping body to keep it warm. I take the light and approach the door to the guest room. It has never really been a guest room, of course, but he had started to call his former bedroom that way after having moved out from Baker Street to live with his wife. Needless to mention that it had always been his room and that I would have never permitted anyone else except him to spend the night there!

I open the door as gingerly as possible, reminding myself that the man does need his sleep to recover. All I need is to see his face on the pillow, and I shall be at ease, withdraw to the sitting room again and contemplate the fact that I am such a lucky man!

But the bed is empty.

He is not there!

* * *

Part 3

Even the most fervent admirer…

…might sometimes have another opinion than the object of admiration, right?

So…

Okay, it’s happenened: I have found something JB says/said in an interview, and I do NOT agree.

I have found this quote (thanks to Rebecca): “The provocation with Holmes is the fact that he’s described by Doyle as a man without a heart–all brain.”

I mean, JB KNOWS the canon for sure. But there is so much affection for Watson shining through in Holmes’ behaviour (remember the Three Garridebs?)… so the man CAN NOT be without a heart…

How I would love to have this discussion… with JB…

“Coming Home” (A Holmes and Watson fanfiction in 8 parts)

Dear all,

as a girl can not always think only of biographies and Jeremy Brett alone, here is the first part of my current project from fanfiction.net.

This is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock-Holmes-Adventures… with sincere respect.

It is an 8-part story about the night and the following day of Sherlock Holmes’ return to Baker Street after his 3-year hiatus (post “Empty House”).

Both, Holmes and Watson, indulge in their reunion. But there are still, on both sides, a lot of unspoken emotions and open questions to be dealt with…

* * * 

Part 1

[Holmes' POV]

All of a sudden I am wide awake… panting… sweating. I keep having those disturbing dreams, almost got used to them during the last three years without my friend, but full of doubts, loneliness and fear.

The night is pitch black, and it takes an eternity to adjust my eyes better to the darkness and to realize where I am: This, at last, is Baker Street! I am home!

Utterly relieved I try to steady my breathing and fumble for some matches to light a candle. It is only now that I notice I am not lying in my bed, but on the couch in the sitting room, where I must have eventually dozed off, after sitting up with my dear, sorely missed Watson for hours.

After the arrest of Colonel Moran, after returning together to our old rooms, neither Watson nor I had had the heart to go to sleep. None of us had wanted this day to end, this wonderful golden day of reunion… almost of resurrection, if one wants to put it that way. And it is true, I have not felt so alive for… well… a lifetime. And during these last hours, thank God, I did have the opportunity to see life somehow returning to the features of my best, my only friend.

It had been a shock, indeed, to see my Watson thus much altered by obvious grief, undoubtedly caused by the double loss of friend and wife. And I had been stupid enough to shock the poor man another time by my unnecessarily theatrical return into the world of the living. This must have been the first time in his life this solid rock of a character had surrendered himself to a faint.

But then – how his face, his whole person had been illuminated by sheer joy. I will never forget this look, as long as I shall live. A shadow of his smile, like an echo, had remained on his face the whole rest of the day…

…even while ambushing the bloody Moran.

…even when I had to admit to him that during the time of my disappearance I had to confide in my brother Mycroft, while keeping him, Watson, in the dark.

…even when he forgave me right away, pushing the undeniable hurt aside to focus on the joy of being together again.

After capturing Moran, we had – quite naturally, it seems – headed back to Baker Street, settled down in the sitting room we had shared for so many years and indulged in the simple fact of togetherness. It had been a most peculiar state, spellbound, detached from time and reality, and neither of us had wanted to break this spell by such a trivial action as saying good-night.

Nevertheless, I must have fallen asleep eventually… the strains and hardships of the last days finally taking their toll.

But now I am wide awake.

And something is wrong.

* * *

 

[To be continued]

go to Part 2

 

The “Jeremy Brett Dedication” Site

For all you “brettish”, I would like to recommend a very beautiful Dedication on myspace. It is surely a heartfelt tribute for our man, and a treasure of footage, literature and audio. Please have a look!

Participate in the development of Jeremy Brett’s (tribute) Biography!

Hi all!

As some of you MIGHT alread know, my work re. a new Jeremy Brett biography is in progress.

Now, I would like to invite you all to participate (but please remember, this is non-profit, so no fees and so far no publication promises).

What you can do? Well, you might…

1. …hint me on some nice London places (beyond Clapham Commons) he liked and/or frequented, so I can make some photos to include in the book…

2. …submit own snapshots (copyright/publication rights must be secured!!)

3. …write your own little essay on the impact he’s had on your life. Can not promise anything, but we’ll see…

Err…

4. …oh, and if you HAPPEN to be a publisher, a literature agent or one of JB’s friends or relatives… the supporting possibilities are endless. *lol* (Hey, you never know, right?)

Will keep posting about recent developments, thoughts on the subject and maybe the one or other excerpt.

Please contact me for further info!

Hello, Mr. Huggins…!

Imagine you’d have – against all the obvious odds – the possibility to meet JB… how would you approach him? What would you say?

Would you play it cool and invite him to a coffee?

Would you stand and stare in awe without being able to utter a single word, until he’d kindly remind you to better continue breathing? 

Would you cry: ”Jerrremiieeeeeeee!!! Let me be the unworthy ground underneath your feet!!!”

or:

Would you go for a casual: “Hello, Mr. Huggins, it’s SOO nice to see you!”

(…)

Well?

Now, that’s somehow my current challenge.

Given: A book with blank pages. And a man to write about. How do I best approach him?

Just a thought.

“A Study in Scarlet” and my biography plans

“A Study in Scarlet”

I am giving myself the treat today of re-reading “A Study in Scarlet”. This novel may have some objectionable features re. the portrayal of Mormon culture (though, as far as I am informed, A.C. Doyle later has had some kind of more or less reconciliation with them on that account).

Anyway, as the novel describes the very first encounter between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (though some stort stories had already been published), it is a treasure of information regarding the character and behaviour of Holmes. One can actually sit back and imagine JB studying the text to create his portrayal of Holmes – who, needless to say, for me will always display the features of Jeremy Brett’s face.

A biography of Jeremy Brett

I’ve mentioned it in my yesterday’s post: The most exciting plan for me is my working on a decent and hopefully quite objective biography of our favourite, Jeremy.  I am really excited about this, that’s for sure.

I think it has been last week, when I formed that decision, but when the idea first came to my mind, I can not say…

There are quite a few very good websites about him, containing interviews, photos etc. I especially recommend the “Jeremy Brett Archive”, by the way. But it soon has occured to me… as my research about him has started years after his death and the internet being not always a completely reliable source… to get a picture of his “person” is like putting together a puzzle. If you want to find out something you have to sort bits and pieces, and you often are confronted with third- or fourthhand information and rather opinions than facts. The man JB seems to be such an emotional issue for many people (me including)…

Also, there seems to be not so much comprehensive literature on the market, and some items already out of stock. I have been recommended “Bending the willow”, and I hope I will get an issue. “The Man who became Sherlock Holmes” has gotten a bunch of crushing reviews about being very speculative, so I think I will have to read it someday, but it is clearly not top of my list.

There is Linda Pritchard’s book “Jeremy Brett – Linda Pritchard Story”. I assume it is a kind of MUST to read it, but it is extremely expensive (assumably collector’s item). Linda is the woman JB has lived with during the last years of his life and who has tended him while he was suffering bodily as well as mentally; I think it is appropriate to call her his close “friend” and “companion”, (the nature of their relation is a bit unclear to me, but these expressions do surely fit).

When I found out about this book and this woman, I got naturally quite intrigued and wanted to know more about it. Within youtube there is a user who knows her personally and has obviously a very high opinion of her.  I got into contact with this lady, when within a forum discussion a few days ago I had wondered rather innocently, how objective a book about Jeremy Brett written by Linda Pritchard could be…

The reason I had asked this was that I know about the “dark episodes” , when one sometimes puts a strain not only on oneself but also on his surroundings. I have a great admiration, gratitude and respect for the people, who really love the sick ones, try to understand them, soothe them, cheer them up, support them and STAND BY THEM. Because those sick ones are in a desperate need of such people. Anyway, thus I must assume that Linda knew such situations, and that had been the reason for my question regarding her objectivity. When under such circumstances someone is able to write about this living together with so much love and in such an amiable light as Linda has done regarding JB, this means quite a lot.

Lindas friend at first got a little irritated by my ever so slight scepticism (this is something I just can not help, sometimes) and told me about the controversial discussion that’s raging within the fandom about Linda. We’ve later corresponded privately (her friend and I), and I’ve found her quite amiable - and that is definitively not only because she is kindly sharing much Jeremy Brett material (as I understand, at least part of it provided by Linda Pritchard) with her fellow JB fans.

So, after having explained the background of my question to her, I had started a research on those controversial dicussions… and there is quite a lot to find, often very emotional, often speculative, not very often objective… I have not formed an own opinion, yet, I assume it won’t do until I have read her book and learned more about her.

To quote a little Holmes/Doyle:

“No data yet,” he answered. “It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence. It biases the judgement.”

My research has taught me something and reminded me of something I had been taught at university, especially when it comes to research on the internet:

In order to assess the information, always be aware of the sources.

I think, this experience has become the cornerstone for my decision to collect all information and work it over again, in order to get a decent biography , based rather on FACTS than on opinions, not exploiting him, not getting famous by it, not digging in the dirt.

I am serious! I think, theoretically, I have the skills. I definetely have the wish. I would want to do it on non profit basis (hopefully getting expenses refunded) in favour of one of the organisations JB has been supporting.

This will be a really long journey, because it will not only afford to read and collect almost everything that has been written re. that issue – but to actually try to get people to TALK with me.

This will include firsthand sources… how I would love to talk with JB’s son David Huggins, with Edward Hardwicke and, of course, Linda Pritchard!!

But at this point of my work I do not really dare to reach out that far. (Though, maybe in my intended letter to Edward Hardwicke I will at least hint in that direction.)

I mean, if I want people to cooperate with me, I will need to give them a very good reason, right?

I have started to spread the word re. my plans and have gotten first responses, too.

Somehow, I suddenly have started to do detective’s work, myself.

Well, I will keep you updated…

Settling down within the fandom

Well, I HAVE to write something about the Jeremy-Brett-Biography I am currently planning, put I need a bit of concentration for such an entry… and before that, I will need some sleep…

So, here is just a little update about my activities within the Sherlock Holmes Fandom: I have finally startet my FanFiction activities on Fanfiction.net.

Currently, you can find the first part of my story “A Circle Closes - from the memoirs of Irene Norton (née Adler)” on my Fanfiction.net-Account. Please feel free to share your thoughts – and I hope you’ll enjoy!

Good night!

Holmes, Jeremy – and an agenda

 

Beyond my daily work this Holmes and Brett issue has begun to keep me happily busy, that is for sure. I have set up such a large agenda for myself, so that I surely will not have to bother about boredom for the next months.

 

Sept. 12 (JB died that day in 1995) and Nov. 3 (his birthday) are approaching, which, I assume, will lead to increasing activity on the internet on that account. I am not quite sure yet what to do with Sept. 12 (more reaction than action for me, I dare say), but I will certainly do a tribute regarding his birthday. If all works out well I will do a “Happy Birthday”-Song with some fellow youtubers (No, girls, I have NOT forgotten about those plans!).

 

I must not forget to write that letter to Edward Hardwicke till then. I am determined to thank him (strange as that may sound) for his support he had given to JB during his illness, and I must do some thinking how to put those words right, so that Edward can understand, why that should concern ME! Anyway, after having performed some research I phoned up his agent, and a nice assistant there agreed that she would forward my mail to him, so the logistic problem is solved.

 

I have also returned to being a rather frequent ebayer again, spending my money on Sherlock Holmes literature, memorabilia etc. (By the way, readers, if you have something to offer, just let me know.) I also used this way to get a little present for one of my favourite youtubers to send to her London home, and I am really excited that she actually seems to like it. With some of these girls it is like being a huge family (yes, I KNOW that this sounds like a cliché!)

 

Ah, and speaking of families, a very special thanks to ladyinred2014, who has done some magic with her photoshop software to create a very nice would-be or “What-if” family portrait:

 

 

 

The idea for this photo seems to have emerged from a still ongoing discussion within the JB group. Well… *ahem*… let’s just say, we got a bit carried away *lol*… Imagination running wild seduced me to post, rather jokingly, a little fan fiction challenge. Okay, lafemdilletante obviously took me by my word, so the next thing I saw was her brilliant (!!!) entry on fanfiction.net:

 

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4452932/1/Moriarty_Nightshirts_and_Oysters

 

I tried to back off… but after having created a rather emotional and pensive tribute vid (you know, the “Recovering” one) I had to do something more light-hearted. So I spent a half-sleepless night and jotted down some random sentences, which, brought into proper order, make for a beginning of a little weird attempt for satire with JB consulting Holmes and Watson on the issue of madly stalking fans and Holmes being a little nutty himself… Well, I did not dare to publish this onto fanfiction.net, but I sent it to lafem with the humble request not to kill me on that one, as satire is not really my writing genre (especially when Jeremy Brett is involved). Hah! Strangely enough, she has replied, politely (?) indicating that she liked it!!

 

Hm.

 

Okay, so I have made up my mind to at least publish a little excerpt … (I think you’ll have to know some background stuff if you want to find it funny… but anyway… here we go:

 

 

* * *

 

(…)

 

A face, very indignantly, appears above the edge of the couch’s backrest.

 

Holmes:   MRS. ORINOCO!! I wonder if you would do me the very great kindness of considering the possibility… the heck with it, just GO AWAY!

 

JB:          Orinoco? No, my name is Huggins, and I am generally considered to be a MISTER. Beyond that I really do need your advice, Mr. Holmes!! I am in serious trouble, as you might already know.

 

A sudden flash of daylight as Dr. Watson dramatically pulls back the curtains from the window.

 

Holmes:   (apparently having slept on the couch and looking rather wrinkled up, mumbling something about the theatrical part usually being HIS department) Oh, should I, indeed? I do not think so. I am sorry, my dear Sir. I can assure you, apart from the obvious facts that you are an actor and that you do a lot of meditation, I know nothing about you.

 

JB:          (looking utterly taken aback) So you DO know me after all?

 

Holmes:   (yawning) Not in the least, it was a simple deduction: Only an actor could be eccentric enough to wear such bright red socks to a semi-formal morning suit. (…) in which way we may be of your assistance? (…)

 

JB:          I am being stal- (suddenly interrupting himself) How could you have possibly guessed that I am practicing meditation?

 

Holmes:   I NEVER guess, Mr. Huggins.

 

JB:          But how do you know…?

 

Watson steps forward and points at Jeremy’s feet.

 

Watson:   Levitation, Sir. Your shoes do not even touch our Persian carpet.

 

Holmes:   Quite so. Mrs. Orinoco will be quite obliged to you on that account.

 

JB:          Mrs. Orinoco?

 

Holmes:   Yes, our good housekeeper.

 

Watson:   (frowning) That’s Mrs. HUDSON, Holmes!

 

Holmes:   Oh, really? Well, I knew at least it had something to do with the name of a river… Never mind, who could possibly keep up with all those names? There is this guy, Conan the Barber…

 

JB:          I beg your pardon?

 

Holmes:   No, I mean, Conan… (tentatively) the Barbarian…?

 

Watson:   I assume you are referring to Conan DOYLE!

 

Holmes:   Ah, Doyle, of course! This Conan, anyway, he has difficulties in remembering her name, too. He sometimes calls her “Turner”… (suddenly turning impatient) But if you would condescend to tell us about your problem, I shall be better able to advise you. I recall you claiming the matter an urgent one!

 

JB:          Yes, that is true. Mr. Holmes, they’re after me! Have you not read the latest news on the internet?

 

Holmes:   No, not this morning. So, let us at least consult my index!

 

Watson:   (searching) I can not find any “Huggins” in here, Holmes…

 

JB:          Oh! I am sorry I forgot, you’ll have to look under “B” for “Brett”. That is my stage name.

 

Holmes:   Brett, indeed! I believe I we used to have a tailor with that name… right, Johnny?

 

Watson:   Pray, Holmes! Would you please stop calling me that way?

 

Holmes:   Oh, come on, we’ve been sharing these rooms for decades, now. You even know how I look in a nightie! Why don’t you allow me to call you by your first name?

 

Watson:   My first name is “John”, Holmes! And that is such a common name! Everybody is called “John” these days.

 

Holmes:   No, not me, they call me “Sherlock”.

 

Watson:   No, Holmes, they call you “Holmes”!

 

Holmes:   Hm. How about “Bosey”?

 

Watson:   WHAT?

 

Holmes:   Well, as a nickname. For Boswell.

 

Watson:   Are you trying to be funny?

 

Holmes:   Funny? No, that’s supposed to be your part.

 

Watson:   (now getting somehow upset) No, it’s NOT! You’re talking about this other guy, Nigel Whatshisname! I AM A MEDICAL MAN! I AM TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!!

 

(…)

 

Cheers,

Susa

 

…and so I became a “brettish” Sherlockian…

Soooooo… I have hesitated some time to start this department of my blog. One reason might be that I have decided to do it in English (which obviously is NOT my mother language). The other, that it is a topic quite personal, and I am not yet used to publish personal stuff about me…

But here we go…

I will start the way I introduced myself in the Sherlock-Holmes-Jeremy-Brett-Community at Youtube. I got across those nice guys rather accidentally, finding some awesome fanvids. I got stuck with them… and have recently even started to publish my own fanvids. There would be quite a lot to say/write on that topic, but as this is only an introduction…

Well, about me… I am from Germany and live near Düsseldorf and Cologne.

For me, Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is one of the most fascinating fictional characters in literature.

[THOUGH I feel inclined to STATE CLEARLY that I absolutely DISAPPROVE of his abuse of "artificial stimulants". Or to put it this way: SHERLOCK? YES!!!! DRUGS? NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

I am an early fan of the Sherlock Holmes Granada Series, especially when it comes to the unique Jeremy Brett, the perfect embodiment of the master detective. As an actor I have been admiring him for decades.

Quite late I learned more about the “man behind the actor”, and thus came to admire him even more. In his struggle against his mental disorder and his care and encouragement for others he has become my constant inspiration. Though I’ve never had the chance to meet and thank him, I kind of miss him. When he died, the world lost a great guy.

But there are many people who are keeping his memory alive, so he will never be entirely gone. I have the pleasure to have gotten acquainted with some of them on youtube, and I am still amazed what a kind, friendly, welcoming, creative, generous and often funny bunch they are…

NO, GUYS, I AM DEFINITELY NOT TRYING TO FLATTER YOU!!! )

And I know that some of us are feeling indebted to JB in a very special way – for some of us know more or less from own experiences, what the man had to go through with his illness. To those, though years after his death, he is still rendering mental support, hope and encouragement, and watching the recordings of his performances has often proved to be a soothing treat.

So: THANK YOU, JEREMY!

Okay, seems I am getting a bit emotional today…

So, a few further facts about me…

I have studied English literature at Düsseldorf’s Heinrich-Heine-University, so I am used to approaching the Holmes issue on both a scientific and an enthusiast’s level. I am just researching to actually write a paper on that matter and am even dabbling on some pastiche, too.

Sherlock Holmes has been accompanying myself since my childhood, I do not even know when it started. Of course, in those days, I did not know much about his complex “darker sides”, this is something I got acquainted with later.  Thus, my way of being “sherlockian”  is nowadays not a question of idolisation but rather some kind of fascination, mixed with a little reasonable scepticism.

Anyway, the whole matter is important enough for me to start writing about it. So, if you want to accompany me (as readers or as fellow and maybe corresponding sherlockians)… feel free to comment!

Best regards!

Susa