Remy, is that you?
We love animated films because they offer us an escape from reality, so when art and life overlap, it can be quite unsettling sometimes -- especially when it comes in the form of a rodent nibbling on some ratatouille ala a certain popular Disney/Pixar flick.
Ahmad Saad Ragab, a 40-year-old software engineer, told The New York Post that he visited the Mighty Pie stand, a pop-up in Brooklyn, New York, on July 17 when he saw the critter gnawing on ratatouille and goat cheese pies in a display case.
"I saw a little mouse peek out," Ragab told The Post on July 18. "I couldn’t believe it. … It was definitely climbing onto the food."
To be fair, it looked like a delicious spread in there, and the little guy was probably just looking for some new ingredients to cook with. Or maybe he made the pies himself? We'll never know for sure.
Like most people nowadays would, Ragab pulled out his phone and waited for the right shot before snapping a photo.
This Disney sequel is pretty lame...Mighty Pie @UnionSquareNY pic.twitter.com/a3Wh1brNhX
— Ahmad Saad Ragab (@PersistentCooki) July 18, 2017
"I should have just had the presence of mind to video it," Ragab added.
He said that he notified an employee that there was a mouse eating the pies, to no avail.
"I said, 'It's in the case,'" Ragab recounted. " … I thought the proper response would be to shut the case and say, 'I can't sell you food anymore,'' but he was on his phone and went back to his conversation."
So he posted the troubling image online, and that was the end of the line for Mighty Pie -- for now, anyway.
"Mighty Pie was closed due to a public health hazard that could not be corrected at the time of the inspection," an agency spokesman said in a statement to WNBC. "In this case, they had unsanitary conditions related to mice and food temperature violations. Once these issues have been corrected, the restaurant can request a re-opening inspection."
Coincidentally -- or not? -- Disney/Pixar's "Ratatouille" just celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its release in late June.
No word on what happened to the lucky rodent. I can only hope that he found his Linguini. Follow your dreams, little guy!