TNT: Ch. 11

Vlad awoke the next morning to find his finger clamped in a lobster claw.
"Ow!" he shook the lobster off of his hand, but seeing lying on the ground, immediately felt sorry. (He also wondered why it was covered with occult symbols, but that was a minor detail.)
"Small crustacean, I did not mean to hurt you, but why were you clawing at my rin- Wait a minute - This is not my ring! I have no rings. Perhaps the lobster was giving it to me as a gift. Here, you may have it back." But it wouldn't come off. Try as he might, it was stuck.
At this point, the nurse, having heard the "Ow!" rushed in. "Mr. Bergljotssen, You're up!!" she cried.
"Please call me Vlad. And we have this kind creature to thank for my recovery, " he gestured toward the lobster, "Modern medicine is a wonderful thing."
"Mr Bergljotssen, that lobster is not affiliated with this hospital! I will remove it immediately."
"Ma'am, I owe this lobster much. Let me keep it here."
The nurse had a concerned look on her face. "Let's finish up your paperwork and get you checked out. You can take it with you when you leave.'
"Very good," replied Vlad as he scooped up the creature, "It reminds me of a pet I had when I was a boy. Of course, he was a crayfish and not a lobster, but times were tough in the old country and only the rich had lobsters, and they mostly ate them. (Not that I can blame them; lobsters are quite delicious in the right sauce. Anyway..."
As he talked, the nurse was having the sort of thoughts health care professionals are generally ashamed of, namely "I liked him better in a coma."