The Curse of the Alchemist

"The Alchemist" is someone who has mastered Alchemy - the science of converting base metals into gold. It is also the name of one of Paulo Coelho's novels - possibly his best. The novel is a slim book and tells the simple story of a boy in search of treasure he dreams about in simple language and peppered with simple thoughts that makes you think without being preachy.

Paulo Coelho's hero is an young Spanish (or Andalusian to be more exact) shepherd boy - Santiago who once dreams of treasures near the Pyramids. Unlike most of us who see a dream but lack the guts to follow it, this shepherd dude embarks on a journey into the unknown with only his dream to guide him.

She was tall, fair and had a sharp brain. She was my classmate, a telugu but been in Tamil Nadu for years and was more a Tamilian than Telugu. Summer projects was on and we were both in sweltering hot but lovely Chennai in the peak of summer.

Since we were one of the few people in our batch in Chennai we met frequently. Having similiar interests, tastes in books and music we became close. Biweekly meetings in coffee shops became more frequent and I began to look forward to those meetings and I has the feeling that she too felt the same (always the optimist am I).

On one such meeting we were discussing the various books we liked and we were pleasantly surprised that we liked the same books for the same reasons. So I was surprised when she said that she has never read the "Alchemist". I decided then and there that I would gift her the Alchemist - a not too expensive book and just right for a casual gift.

I stocked up on a couple of "Alchemists" (that time I never realised that it had a powerful curse else would not have even considered touching them leave alone buy two). And the next time we met I presented her one. She was happy and I hope a little touched as well (I said am an optimisit right). After an hour and half of coffee, laughter and happiness we parted.

The next time we met again,she said she had finished the book and yes it was too good. We were chatting as usual and a chance remark by me touched her to the quick. Usually it would have passed but not today. It became a heated argument. Voices were raised. People started turning around. My attempts to placate her were futile. The curse was just too powerful. She got up and stormed out.

Our relationship was never the same again. I never knew the reason behind our relationship suddenly hitting a downward curve.

She was tall, dark and had very expressive eyes.. (oh man those eyes again). It was the first day of the second year in college. Our juniors were being paraded on stage. Introducing themselves, singing songs and fielding weird questions about their personal lives from all of us seniors. I learnt that she was a Bengali.

I didnt know Bengali and I didnt know Hindi. She didnt know Tamil but we knew English and thanks to that language I managed to make an impression on the Bong beauty. We used to catch up in the canteen, library and discuss stuff which could range from Rabindra Sangeet to Marketing strategy. And yes I could talk on all these subjects and was also part of the college quizzing team. We won quite a few quizzes which again duly impressed her.

Soon we had progressed from meeting in the college to meeting after classes in Cafe Coffee Day (CCD for short). This kind of became a weekly routine, meeting up every weekend at the CCD so much so that the management gave us a "membership card" of sorts that entitled us to a 10% discount every time we went there.

The extra "Alchemist" I had got during my summers was still lying in my cupboard. Her birthday was approaching and I put 2 and 2 together and came to the logical conclusion that I could gift her this classic. It was her treat that day at CCD. I gave her the book. She was happy and she even sang a few lines of a Bengali song for me in the crowded cafe. That evening a I walked back to my hostel, I was wondering how cultural differences could be sorted out in a family function invovling bengali and tamil members (You would say am a little too optimistic).

Next weekend came and my calls to her were unanswered. Our usual time for our rendezvous at CCD was fast approaching. Kept trying her number. No response. Desperate now. Tried again. Switched off. It was like a slap. So spent a lonely weekend.

Even the next day she did not bother to return my calls. I was hurt and upset. I knew I would meet her at some point in college and was wondering how I should react if I saw her. And soon enough I saw her rushing to her class. She flashed a radiant smile at me and said she wanted to tell me something and to meet her at the CCD later that evening.

Wow. This looked good and I could not wait for evening to come. And yes being the optimist I had scripted a dialogue which involved a lot of.. well very optimistic things.

At the CCD, she told me she had read the Alchemist and what a great book it was and this weekend she met someone. "Someone" - now this was not in the script I had dreamt about in class. And she ploughed on that it is more likely that she has met the "someone" of her dreams and was wondering how to tell her parents..I did not know what all she said but gathered that she wanted me to be the first person to know as it was me who gave her a wonderful book and opened her eyes to the fact that she should follow her dreams.

That was when I realised the curse of the Alchemist - A nicely progressing relationship.. Give the girl a copy of the Alchemist.. and within a week watch the relationship crumble around you.

Even now while browsing in a book store, I see the Alchemist, a shudder sometimes passes through me - the curse of the Alchemist??

Towards the end of my college term I met this sweet girl (yes she has the most mesmerizing pair of eyes I have ever seen). We smsed each other a lot,thanks to Aircel giving us free SMS packages. But never once in the million coversations we had did I ever mention the Alchemist...nor did I even consider lending her a copy of the Alchemist and nor do I intend to..

I dont know if the curse affects only me but I dont have the guts to experiment again.

Maybe you could try it and let me know!!