The real challenge of being a Sherlockian

When the founder of "Doyle's Rotary Coffin" first lured us in with fine membership cards to make vows to honour the code "All Holmes is Good Holmes," I think we all took a lot at the actors whom we didn't think should have played Sherlock and went, "Okay, maybe I can tolerate that one."

A sacrifice, yes, but with the promise of working toward universal acceptance among our fellow followers of Sherlock Holmes? Not nearly that great an act of self-control. So off we went, down that happy path, agreeing that all attempts to portray Sherlock Holmes on screen must have some merit.

But even a simple and clear statement like "All Holmes is Good Holmes" can have a monkey's paw of fine print hidden within it. Do those words say anything about actors? Characters in one medium or another? Are movies the limit? Is television? Novels? Short stories?

What about socks?

I have these socks. A thoughtful gift from wonderful kinfolk. I'm sure you might have seen them in your favorite bookstore or perhaps online. A nice little addition to the Sherlockian collection. But I'm addicted to cotton fluffies. Thick, comfy socks. So when the subject of such novelty socks, which are typically of the thinner variety, came up, along with the suggestion that any Sherlockian should own seven pairs of said socks . . . well, I reacted . . . poorly.

Further consideration suggested that I'm more of a Sherlockian t-shirt sort of fellow than a Sherlockian sock fancier. So I put out a little Twitter poll to see if I could find comfort in the validation of a few more t-shirt Sherlockians, a primary use of social media.

And then I remembered that little oath repeated at the top of this essay. "All Holmes is Good Holmes." Such a challenge. In fact, those words might be the greatest real challenge in the history of Sherlockiana. Not the quizzes. Not getting an article or book published. Not attending some event or visiting some far off place. Just accepting all of it. All the non-harmful silliness that Sherlock Holmes has managed to cause since he first stepped off the page.

With all of the serious, serious matters facing us these days, all of the disagreements that have actual consequences, all of the fights that we actually need to fight to make the world a better place, is there anything having to do with Mr. Sherlock Holmes that we can't just let slide on our way to doing the real work of life? And maybe just accept that whatever the thickness of their socks, other people are enjoying Sherlock Holmes in their own way just as we are?

Well, there's only one way to find out. Good luck to every one of you stalwart Sherlockian heroes willing to take up that challenge. Because wait until you see what Sherlock Holmes has coming for us next . . . .