In Making a Detective

John was eleven and that was a perfectly thrilling age to be. He could walk to the corner store by himself and buy an ice lolli during the height of summer. School would start again soon but for now he was free to do as he pleased… and he it pleased him very much to go get something cold to cool him down.

There was a sound in the bushes and he cocked his light blond hair to the side, listening. Perhaps it was a cat or a dog. A lost dog might mean some sort of adventure. “Hello?” John called cautiously into the bush.

It wasn’t a dog. It was a little boy. A small boy that looked to be five or six with wildly curly dark hair crawled out from under the bush and stared up at him expectantly with big grey eyes. The little boy sniffled and rubbed the back of his hand against his nose. Red rimmed eyes showed that he had been crying.

“Oh… are you lost?” John asked, kneeling down on the sidewalk in front of the boy.

The child nodded, his eyes fastening to John’s ice lolli.

“Do you want some?” John grinned and broke it, giving the small child half. “I’m John. What’s your name?”

The boy stared at John, sucking the color out of the ice, he shook his head silently.

“Don’t have a name? That’s alright.” John stood up and looked around. “Which way is your mum and dad?”

“Lost Crofty…” The boy muttered.

“Crofty? Who’s Crofty?” John looked puzzled. “Alright… did you come from this direction?” John pointed arbitrarily.

The little boy shook his head.

“How about in this direction? There’s a park over there.”

The boy thought about it for a time, continuing to suck the flavor out of the ice. Finally he nodded. “Crofty park…”

John took the boy’s hand and led him towards the park. The boy’s hand was sticky from the melting treat but he paid it no mind. He was on a mission! Like a hero! They made their way and John tried to put the boy at ease by pointing out landmarks. “That’s the place I fell of my bicycle last summer… I skinned my knees. Mum was so worried. Over there is where Harry and I fought off the angry horde of pirates… the fence was our ship. The horde was some kids in Harry’s class.”

The boy didn’t reply but did look where John pointed. He dropped pieces of the ice as he went, not really caring… most of the sweetness had been sucked away anyway.

“And over there is where… hello? Someone is running towards us. Do you think he’s a giant?”

The boy dropped the stick from the ice lolli and smiled up at John. “Crofty!”

“Crofty?” John echoed, looking at the older boy who was running towards them with a flushed face.

“Oh thank god you found him! Sherlock! Sherlock come here! Father is going to be so angry. Mummy is worried sick! Where have you been?” Crofty demanded.

“I found him in a bush.” John replied, passing the child’s hand to the other boy.

Crofty gasped for breath, bending down to clutch his knees. “Thought I lost him… He’s so much easier to find in the country. Here in the city he’s…” The elder boy stood up and wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand. “Thank you for finding him.”

“You’re welcome.” John smiled.

^.~

“So no…” John finished his story. “You’re not the first Sherlock I’ve ever met.” He leaned back in his chair.

Sherlock stared at John a moment and then threw back his head to laugh. “You dolt! Crofty? That was what I called Mycroft when I was child because I couldn’t say his name properly.”

“That was Mycroft? And you?” John paled.

“I used to chase the ducks back home… but when we had to go to the city…” Sherlock wiped tears of laughter away. “I got horribly lost. You gave me part of your ice lolli?”

“Yes. You enjoyed it.” John replied, chuckling a bit. “So… Crofty… I wonder if he’s heard that lately…”

Sherlock grinned, his eyes twinkling in amusement. “I shouldn’t… but I think I will. I’ll have to remind him what a pain I was as a child.”

“You were a delightful child… with sticky hands.”

“I was shy. But I could be really naughty. I still can.” Sherlock winked at his friend.

“Mycroft won’t thank me for sparking your memory.” John sighed.