Of Poets and Pet Lobsters

We all need some craziness in our lives.

And what better way to live it up than rearing a pet lobster? Which is exactly what French poet Gerard de Nerval (1808-1855) did.

Apparently, Nerval had a beloved pet lobster named Thibault which he took for walks in the Palais Royal gardens in Paris on the end of a blue silk ribbon

In an article about the life of Nerval by his contemporary, Nerval is quoted as having said "Why should a lobster be any more ridiculous than a dog? ...or a cat, or a gazelle, or a lion, or any other animal that one chooses to take for a walk? I have a liking for lobsters. They are peaceful, serious creatures. They know the secrets of the sea, they don't bark, and they don't gnaw upon one's monadic privacy like dogs do".

Viva the humble lobster!