There are times when I manage to impress even myself. I've just done it again.

Despite the clutter of people exchanging Christmas banalities, I could see through the lies they told each other and themselves. Lestrade was trying to convince himself that his wife is no longer enjoying the company of other men. John denied the abundant evidence indicating his sister's continued alcohol abuse.

With careful study and analysis, I long ago developed a theory of how reasonably intelligent men such as Lestrade and John can see but not observe. Observation requires one to excise personal feelings from the equation. Feelings lure a person into the realm of irrationality-a realm where it becomes easy to convince yourself the sky is yellow instead of blue. Facts no longer matter. Such a world holds no appeal to me and represents an anathema to all I hold dear.

I cannot not observe. Take Molly for example. From the most cursory of glances, it was apparent she was out to impress tonight. Even as I enumerated each telltale sign from the precisely wrapped present sitting atop her shopping bag to her matching lipstick to the obviousness of her manner of dress, I was aware the others in the room had not registered these telling details.

All of which led me to this precise moment in which my cleverness has failed me. As if the sentiment on the gift's tag hadn't already made this abundantly clear to me, Molly's plaintive response spells it out for everyone, "You always say such horrible things. Every time. Always. Always."

I process her words and mentally shuffle through the various interactions we've had. The signs were all there: eagerness to please; awkward attempts to engage me in conversation; and hopeful expressions turned to ones of hurt. The magnitude of my error is indeed impressive. Molly's feelings are unfortunate and further proof of the wisdom in eschewing personal interactions. Reciprocity of her emotions is impossible. I neither desire the burden of her unrequited passions nor feel it my fault she has fixated them on me.

Yet, I do owe her a sincere apology. I owe Molly an apology because l saw but did not observe.