Marshall and the Movies

How’s this for a disturbing report?  Listen to this excerpt from a Cinematical post:

As if you needed another reason to stay home with your hundred home entertainment options instead of seeing a movie in the theater, Gothamist shares a story about bedbug infestations at some of NYC’s cinemas, including the tourist-friendly AMC Empire 25 near Times Square and another AMC up in Harlem (the Magic Johnson Harlem 9). One anonymous reader was attacked by the pests during a showing of “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” last night and was even told that the theater staff knew about the problem and had an appointment for an exterminator this week but stayed open without warning (an update to the article now says the theater’s general manager is denying any such knowledge or admittance of fault at all).

I kid you not, the problem extends much farther beyond New York City.  Houston friends, I believe a local theater may have a very dire problem.

Before I go too far into that, I have to provide some crucial information about the way I sit to watch movies.  I change positions a lot, rarely remaining in one for a long time.  I usually tuck one leg under the other at a right angle (the way guys cross their legs), often switching which leg is underneath.  Really, the area around my ankles are the only exposed parts of my body that touch the theater seats.

You may recall a factoid several weeks ago, Random Factoid #358, in which I described a particularly painful experience watching “Salt” from the front row.  I failed to extend the story beyond watching the movie, but there actually is more.  I came out of the theater itching my ankles and lower knees.

When I got out into the light, I looked down at these areas and found my ankles to be covered in what appeared to be big red bug bites.  Since this is the part of my body that touches the theater seat, and I was sitting on the oft-neglected front row, I suspect bedbugs could be the culprit!  And what negligent theater, my dear local readers, could possibly let such a thing happen?

The Edwards Marq*E.