The bar-room alchemist

The prompt this week at Sunday Scribblings is Alchemy

I was standing at the bar in a pub one evening. Next to me an elderly gentleman had just purchased a pint of Guinness. He held the glass up and looked lovingly at the jet black nectar within.

‘I hold in my hand proof that alchemy is not a myth’ he said and with that he gulped several deep swigs of his drink before leaving his empty glass on the bar. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and turned to walk towards the gentleman’s room.

As he left I called after him. ‘How can Guinness prove that alchemy is not just fiction?’ I asked.

As he pushed the toilet door open, he looked over his shoulder and pointing to his mouth he said ‘It went in as black as coal......’ 


The door closed behind him and I stood wondering what on earth he’d meant. A couple of minutes later the door swung open again and as he walked back to the bar he pointed downwards and said  ‘.....and it came out a stream of pure gold!’


I couldn’t really argue with that, so I bought him another pint.