Alan doesn’t seem to catch these double meaning well
since he is preoccupied with the love potion.
He is only interested in the effects of the potion
and is oblivious to all the other things
which the old man tells him.
The play of words with which the old man is equipped is a delight to read.
The entire story is based on a conversation between the two men
and is only two and a half pages long.
It’s a situation based short story
and by potions one might be reminded of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
where a love potion creates confusion later on
but that is not the case in this story.
The effects of this particular potion,
according to the old man are permanent.