The prompt at Sunday Muse #83 set me thinking . . .


'Be a good fellow, Watson, and pass me my magnifying glass.  Thank you. Now sit quite still.'

(Short silence during which Holmes examines Watson's face closely.)

'Well, Holmes?  What does the great detective see?'

'Surprising what the glass reveals, Watson.  Ever since Leeuwenhoek described beasties flailing around in the water we drink and so on . . . things have turned out to not be quite what they seem.'

'Never mind Leeuwenhoek, whoever he is . . . '

'Was, Watson, was.  He died in 1723.'

'Before my time, Holmes.  What d'you see?'

'A little bridge over a stream which could be made of tears? Hard to tell.  Lots of little fir trees, some of them sprouting from your eyebrows - which could do with pruning, BTW.'

'Really, Holmes.  Amazing what your glass reveals at several times magnification.  I thought they were  . . . '

'Wait a minute, Watson. The bridge over the stream  . . . there's a female figure standing on it.  Strange.'

'Not strange at all, Holmes.  That's the young lady dermatologist who's treating me for zits . . .'
'Zits! You don't need a dermatologist, Watson.  You need a tree surgeon . . .'