Ask a die-hard Sherlockian to come up with the first three-digit number that he or she can think of, and you usually get 221, the address on Baker Street where Sherlock Holmes lived. We use it in e-mail addresses. We notice when that 2:21 minute in the afternoon or night comes up on digital clocks. We delight in seeing it as the house number on any home we might be taking an interest in. (This writer, for example,  once lived in apartments at 221A and 221C Third Street, never quite getting to 221B.) Two-twenty-one is definitely our magic number, whether picking the “pick 3” daily lotto or putting a combination on a cheap lock.

The fancying of 221 over other numbers is a fun little obsession that some of us have, a trivial enough thing, and not even large events or history itself can break us out of that habit. Take this week for example. You might have noticed a little thing happening in America where we elected not only the first black president of the United States, but a well-spoken, intelligient fellow after eight long years of enduring painful “Ah’m the decider!” substitutes for leadership.

It was a big night for America. Spontaneous celebrations erupted in the streets in our larger cities, even the  good Carter had to crack open a bottle of wine, which is distinctly out of her usual habits. Tears were shed, songs were sung, and in general, I would have to say it was one of the most memorable nights of my fifty-some years.

And it had nothing to do with our detective friend Sherlock Holmes . . . well, perhaps to the casual observer. To me, and I hope to a few of my more observant fellows, the spirit of Sherlock Holmes made an appearance that night, even as history was being made. Right in the middle of Barrack Obama’s acceptance speech came the words:

“And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.”

America had its two-hundred-and-twenty-first birthday this year, if you count from the establishment of its Constitution. Its Sherlockian birthday. If you add in that we just elected a guy named “Barrack” (or are seeing the last of a guy named “Bush”) you can even get “221B” out of this little spot in history.

Our magic number.

Election night was a magical night in America this year. And for the monomaniac Sherlockian, Obama’s mention of 221 just sealed the deal. One might say that whoever is the president of the United States has nothing to do with our Sherlockian hobby, but I would have to argue that point. An inspiring leader who can stir people to action doesn’t always just energize people to do what he wants them to do. Sometimes he inspires them to pursue their own hopes and dreams with just that much more vigor. And hopes and dreams are necessary in any undertaking with a future.
Barrack Obama’s reminder that this is year 221 for America gave this Sherlockian a little more hope, as well as energies for things that will be mentioned in these pages as we move ahead. I hope you got a buzz out of it as well.

Your humble correspondent,
Brad Keefauver