Can You Prove It? is a mystery short story by Isaac Asimov.
Part of the Black Widowers series, it was first published in the June 17, 1981 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. It was later collected in 1984's Banquets of the Black Widowers.
Summary[]
At a Black Widowers banquet, the guest, John Smith, recounts a troubling incident from his travels. While touring an unspecified European country, he was drugged and robbed in a tavern, losing all his identification. He was found by police and handed over to a security official, referred to as "Vee." Vee informed Smith that he was under suspicion of being an American agent. Smith's inability to prove his identity, he could not name his hotel or provide any documentation, placed him in grave danger of imprisonment and interrogation.
Despite Smith's desperate protests of innocence, Vee insisted he needed proof. Smith, overwhelmed, fainted. Upon reviving, he found Vee's attitude had completely changed; the official now believed his story and helped him locate his hotel to retrieve his passport, then urged him to leave the country immediately. Smith escaped but was left mystified by Vee's sudden change of heart, having been told only that he was "too stupid" to be a spy.
The Black Widowers discuss various theories for Vee's reversal, such as sympathy or a deduction based on Smith's genuine terror. The waiter, Henry, provides the solution. He points out that Smith, who takes daily medication, always carried his pill vial. While Smith's wallet was stolen, the vial was overlooked. Henry deduces that the original prescription label on the vial would have contained Smith's name and address. He concludes that Vee found this label while Smith was unconscious, giving him the definitive proof of identity he had been demanding, hence his sudden cooperation and his remark about Smith's stupidity for not realizing he carried identification all along.
Characters[]
Black Widowers[]
- Roger Halsted (host)
- Geoffrey Avalon
- Emmanuel Rubin
- James Drake
- Mario Gonzalo
- Thomas Trumbull
- Henry (the waiter)
Others[]
- John Smith (the guest)
- Vee
- The Concierge
- The Thieves
- The Policemen
- The Hotel Expert
- Regina (Smith's deceased wife)
Historical Figures Mentioned[]
- President John F. Kennedy
See Also[]
List of short stories by Isaac Asimov