Facing a rodent takeover at the cinema? One movie buff in Texas decided he wouldn't let a mouse problem ruin his movie night. Instead, he took matters into his own hands, and his story is as entertaining as the films he loves.
Cole Pauley, a 42-year-old from Texas, wasn't about to let a little rodent infestation deter him from enjoying a midnight showing of "Now You See Me: Now You Don’t" with his daughter. The local Cinemark in Waco had been experiencing a surge in mice, so much so that health inspectors were called in. One unfortunate moviegoer even had a mouse try to steal her drink!
"I took out my flashlight, and on top of my drink was a rat that had climbed down from my arm and was biting the lid and straw in like a very hungry way," Abagail Salas shared with KWTX.
Pauley, who works in construction, believed the nearby construction was driving the mice into the cinema. So, he took action. On a dare from his coworkers, he decided to mouse-proof his movie experience. He armed himself with a couple of spring-loaded Victor-brand traps, baited with string cheese.
Upon arriving at the theater, he set up his makeshift defense system around his and his daughter's seats.
"She [daughter] was, of course, mortified about having mousetraps underneath her chair,” Pauley recalled. His efforts paid off, as one of the traps successfully caught a rodent.
"It was like one o’clock in the morning. I just left for the cleaning crew," the freelance mousecatcher recounted.
But here's where it gets controversial... Pauley's bold move was motivated by a desire to save his favorite movie theater from potential closure. He shared that he has faith that the company will invest in getting the infestation cleaned up.
Cinemark has since responded, stating they've "strengthened our protocols and partnered with specialists to maintain high standards of cleanliness."
And this is the part most people miss... Pauley's experience even led him to offer advice to New Yorkers struggling with their own rat problem.
"I would say buy Victor, and maybe hire a few tabby cats to patrol the theaters," Pauley told The Post. "If you’re at some boring arthouse film, it might actually spice things up."
What do you think? Would you go to such lengths to enjoy a movie? Do you think his solution was practical, or a bit extreme? Share your thoughts in the comments!
