TNT: Ch. 16

She wasn't in the coffee shop! Rob Bluntz, Silver Moose of the order of Floobel had failed once more. And he was sure he'd seen her going in there. He was starting to wonder if this was really worth it. After waking up in the hospital bed and discovering that the lobster was missing, he had been searching every building in the city for either the lobster or for his fiance, but things just kept not going well. And now, well even if he could have returned without the Daughter of the Platinum Stag, he would certainly be ejected from the order if not killed if he returned without the sacred lobster. It was so unfair. If he ever figured out who launched that toaster...
Presently, something shiny caught his eye. A familiar ring. One which matched almost perfectly with the one on his own finger.
"You there," he said to the large Norwegian man who was sitting at a table playing games on his cell phone, "Where did you get that ring?"
The man seemed to consider this for a moment.
"It was placed on my finger while I slept, possibly by a lobster but more likely by a girl. Why do you ask?"
"Why do I ask? WHY DO I ASK!?! That ring is the-" he calmed down, realizing that to reveal too much would be a bad idea. "That ring is mine," he finished calmly if still not politely, "And I would like it back."
"I would be ever so happy to oblige. I don't like it much - the colors are too bright and it is somewhat effeminate. Of course, I'm quite comfortable in my masculinity and have no problem with a somewhat "girly" piece of jewelry, but I do not think this ring is really 'Me'. You see what I'm saying? Of course-"
"Yes I see your point exactly, which is why I think I should have that ring."
"Of course," the man infuriatingly continued almost ignoring Rob's comment, "You already have one such ring, I cannot imagine two would look good at all. If you wore one on each finger it would look too symmetrical, but two on one hand would be repetitive. So really, neither of us has much use for this ring, so-"
"So just... give it... TO ME!!!" he shouted, unable to control himself, "I need that ring to find my fiance and my lobster and go home again so I can be done with this stupid hunt and go home and get married! So just give up the stupid ring which you don't want ANYWAY!"
"I can't," the man replied calmly, "It's stuck, which is what I was getting at. By the way, I think I found your lobster. It's right here."
But his hand was empty.
"It was here a minute ago," he continued, "But I guess it finally ran off. It probably wasn't the same lobster anyway."
"Was it covered in symbols?"
"Well, yes."
"Then it was the same lobster! You've lost my lobster and gotten my ring stuck on your finger. Let's finish it off. You seen a girl around, 5' 10, short brown hair, answers to the name Annette?"
Again he seemed to consider this.
"No, I have met no such girl. Now, if you like we can get the ring cut from my finger. There are no jewelers in Wheatsfield, but I'm sure someone in the factory could help."
"Keep the damn ring! And if you ever get it off, send it to me. Here's my address." He took a piece of scrap paper out of his robes and jotted down an address. "Good day to you, sir!" he exclaimed and stormed off.
The lobster of Bune-Doom, seeing him leave, crawled out from under the table and onto Vlad's lap.