text: Having a hobby is a good way to pass your free time. It also helped you to discover many different strengths and weaknesses that you had or needed to work on. However, some people didn’t like hobbies and having to do something in their free time made them feel like they were working. At least, that was how my friend felt when I told him to get a hobby. “What’s wrong with a hobby? At least, it gives you something to do when you’re bored.” Hobbies made me feel like I could discover my new passions. As I grew older, I always had a passion in different things. But that was not how Kyle felt. He preferred the lazy hobby, where he could sit in front of the TV and watch Netflix all day. “If I can watch my Netflix, I’m passing time. No need for exhausting yourself for no reason.” He was a complete couch potato. I thought that I should get him to try out things, even if it is sports, to see what he liked but no matter what he kept telling me the same excuse. I visited the art museum or the history exhibition to find out more of my passions, but all he did was hunt for places to grab a snack. It became irritating at times. Yes, some people said that eating was a hobby, but that was if they were lazy people! A hobby didn’t have to be something tiring. It could be something you did for fun and watching a movie or playing a computer game wasn’t doing something for fun! “Why are you so negative? Just try out something and see if you like it. But don’t say you don’t like it because you want to go home and be a slob on the couch!” He just gave me a look. I felt that there was more to life than just being in front of the TV. I knew that he collected antique vases that dated to the first Queen of England and other ancient artefacts. And I found a stall that had those exact items, but instead of him looking at them, I found Kyle eyeing out the cake stall next door. The poor girl who stood at that stall looked horrified at him. “Kyle! You are scaring the girl. Look at this, I found your collective items.” He sulked for a minute, but then I saw a slight interest in his eyes when he saw the vases. “I haven’t even touched them in years, why would I want to collect more?” I saw a delicate vase with ancient Egyptian drawings on it. Since he had a variety from all over the world, I decided to get this one for him. He didn’t have an Egyptian vase and this was a perfect item. “It’s a beautiful vase. Wise choice. But the vase contains a hidden secret in it.” The vendor made a chilling comment on the vase in my hand. I knew that any treasures stolen from the Pharaoh’s tombs were cursed, but could this vase be too? Perhaps his warning meant something and I didn’t want to leave without finding out what he meant. “What is the secret? Should we be worried?” He gazed at me for a minute before looking away. “It cannot be said in public. But it might change your life and reveal hidden thoughts, feelings, emotions or whatever you may want to call it.” This made me even more suspicious of the vendor’s warning. What was he trying to tell us? Since he didn’t want to say, we left with the vase in hand. “This vase is incredible! It can make things happen, as if it is a magic lamp!” I was surprised by Kyle’s excitement with the vase I bought him two days ago. First, he was in a mood and didn’t want to do anything...practical, but now he can’t step away from the vases, especially the new one! A part of me was happy that he was back to his new found hobby, but another part made me think back to the vendor’s warning before we paid for the vase: ‘The vase contains a hidden secret in it’. If the hidden secret was that it could make hidden hobbies ignite in someone’s heart, then I didn’t see that as a negative side nor a warning. But his excitement was a bit too sudden. Perhaps there was more to this vase than met the eye. Whenever I wanted to scan the detailed artwork on the vase, he would harshly pull the vase out of my grip. That behaviour of his also seemed sudden. I had to find out what this vase had. Was it a curse? Or just some strange spell? Or was it all in my head? I revisited the stall where I purchased the vase for Kyle. The vendor recognized me, but the look on his face meant that he wasn’t too happy to see me. “Yes, ma’am. How can I help you?” I reached my hand into the Tote bag I carried on me, and took out the vase to show him. “Two days ago, you mentioned that this vase had hidden secrets in it. When I asked you what they were, you didn’t reveal them. I want you to tell me, right now and right here, what those secrets are and I demand an explanation!” He looked around him as if he was on the lookout for any suspicious listeners. After a moment’s silence, he directed me to an area where only the staff were allowed to go. “We shall talk in here.” I followed after him and there he sat me down to explain the history behind this antique vase. “I take it that your friend has returned to his interest in antique vases?” Before I could ask him how he knew, he raised his hand to silence me. “Please, let me finish: The vase was a precious gift that was given to Queen Cleopatra on her 30 th birthday. She loved the beauty of it and kept it hidden in a secret room, where only she knew and had access to. However, after she kept this vase she had many tragic losses in her time. Her life began to become miserable and every suitor itched to get his hands on both the beautiful vase and its extremely beautiful owner. Her guards, who protected her from any threat, managed to ward her off them. But one of these men secretly got into her room and stole the vase. It was from then that she ordered all her magicians to place a curse on this ornament, but if it was in the hands of someone who bought it for another’s interest, then it might bring more than happiness for that individual.” His story made me think that Cleopatra had a specific reason for the curse or spell that she had placed on this vase. I was more intrigued after hearing about the history of this vase only increased my interest to learn more.