Fic: At the Off Licence: G

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Title: At the Off Licence
Form/Wordcount: 221B
Characters/Pairings: Dr John Watson, Mr Jenkins, proprietor of the off licence
Rating: G
Warnings/Content: Written for the "Spirit" prompt.

Dr Watson opened the door to the off licence and went in, to be greeted warmly by the proprietor.

“Hello, Jenkins,” the doctor said, “I’ve come to settle last month’s bill.”

“Certainly, sir.”  Jenkins looked in his ledger.  “Let me see.”  He called out the items as he listed their amounts on his slate.

“Three bottles of brandy.”

Watson looked surprised, and counted them on his fingers: one for use for clients in aiding their recovery, either on arrival or after Holmes’ had given his big reveal; one for dosing Holmes after he took a chill following the Arbuthnot case; one which Watson himself had shared with Mrs Hudson, to ward off any of Holmes’ germs.

“Two bottles of whisky.”

They tended to get through a bottle a month when Lestrade visited, and, now Hopkins had started calling round too, it would be churlish not to offer him a glass.

“And seven bottles of gin.”

That was higher than usual.  But there had been the accident with the lamp and the table doilies.  And the nasty smell which had lingered for three days.  The client who had brought a piglet which had escaped.  And the incident with the fire tongs.  Seven bottles was probably reasonable.

Jenkins added the figures up and announced the total.  Dr Watson sighed and paid the bill.

Comments

[debriswoman]

Sounds about right...particularly the gin.
I think they got off lightly:-p
Nicely done

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you! This was probably one of the more modest months.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

After a whole month of saying 'put it on our tab' I suppose at some point, the tab has to be settled. Gin and whisky seem reasonable. I'd have thought more brandy, but I suppose that the number of swooning clients varies. Nicely done.

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

And if the bill gets too long it becomes a very nasty surprise. And yes, there were a good number of unswooning clients, like the one with the piglet.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Beautifully paced, and most relishable. That piglet!

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much. Mrs Hudson did not appreciate the piglet.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

...to be greeted warmly by the proprietor. Embracing Watson and weeping on his shoulder, I take it? ^__^ It's so unselfish of the 221 Baker St household, supporting local businesses like this.

Rather taken with ...one for use for clients in aiding their recovery, either on arrival or after Holmes’ had given his big reveal ^___^

Excellent idea and execution, madam.

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

It's all smiles whenever the doctor enters the off licence. It's amazing how much brandy is needed for the clients one way or another.

I'm glad you liked it - thank you.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

So that "Mls. included, G. extra" on the rent invoice doesn't mean that meals are included but GAS is extra, does it.

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

It was agreed some time ago that in the interests of harmony Holmes and Watson would be responsible for paying for the gin - cheaper too, as Mrs H added a premium to each bottle.