An Unusual Cinema
When the Traveling Mouse arrived in the small town, he was utterly exhausted. Besides enjoying a good meal and taking a proper bath, he wanted to truly relax—not by sleeping, but by unwinding mentally.
“It would be great to catch a movie…” the Traveling Mouse muttered to himself.
The innkeeper immediately recommended, “Then you should go to the cinema! The movies here are quite special.”
The Traveling Mouse was a bit skeptical, a big question mark hanging in his mind.
“I won’t tell you just yet; go experience it for yourself,” the innkeeper replied before turning to attend to other matters, adding, “You’ve timed it just right; the movie is showing tonight!”
His curiosity piqued, the Traveling Mouse, who already loved watching movies, decided not to miss this opportunity. Since there was still time, he chose to stroll around the town first.
The streets were bustling with activity, buzzing with a festive atmosphere. People were in high spirits, and it was clear that the movie had a strong allure for the locals.
A delicious smell wafted through the air, drawing the Traveling Mouse to a stall where a girl was baking sweet pastries. He approached to inquire about the price.
To his surprise, the girl cheerfully exclaimed, “Pay whatever you like, eat as much as you want!”
The Traveling Mouse was puzzled—was this some sort of custom? Perhaps the girl was just eager to see the evening’s film and had little interest in business.
“Excuse me, my dog squad is here!” a boy shouted joyfully as he passed by, his voice full of cheer. People stepped aside with smiles, enjoying the sight of the boy and his band of dogs.
An elderly woman handed a large bag of treats to the boy, saying, “This is for these little guys.”
“Thank you so much; the dogs appreciate it!” the boy replied happily.
The Traveling Mouse laughed at the lively scene, and after the not-so-small group passed, he continued his exploration.
“Sir, would you like a flower?” a little girl asked, holding out a lily.
The Traveling Mouse noticed she had five lilies and asked, “How about all of them? Is it also a ‘pay what you want’ deal?”
“Yes, sir!” she nodded vigorously.
He gave her a little extra money, happily carrying the flowers as he walked on. It seemed the girl wasn’t selling flowers out of necessity but perhaps to buy a ticket for that night’s movie. The Traveling Mouse felt good about being able to help her.
A middle-aged man hurried past, his bulging backpack clearly filled with costumes for a performance. The Traveling Mouse’s curiosity was sparked as he stared at the bundle; only theatrical costumes would be so flamboyant.
“Oh no, my pom-pom flower is missing!” a bookstore owner fretted, pacing anxiously.
The Traveling Mouse couldn’t help but stop in front of the bookstore.
“That’s what I need for tonight’s show!” she lamented.
Unable to resist, the Traveling Mouse offered her a pink lily he had picked earlier, asking, “Will this substitute for your pom-pom flower?”
The owner’s face lit up as she accepted the flower, exclaiming, “Thank you! You’ve saved the day; I’ll look fabulous tonight!”
The Traveling Mouse chuckled, “No need to mention it.”
Seeing how much the bookstore owner cared about her appearance, he decided to tidy himself up before heading to the cinema.
On his way, he gifted a lily to an elderly man in a bright red coat and another to the girl at the pastry stall. He had intended to save one for the innkeeper’s wife, but when he returned, they were nowhere to be found—busy with preparations, no doubt.
Upon reaching the cinema, the Traveling Mouse discovered that no tickets were required at all. There were plenty of seats, enough for the whole town to attend without issue.
However, to his surprise, the screen wasn’t a traditional white curtain but an expansive space that resembled a stage.
When the movie began, an actor suddenly clutched his stomach, appearing to be in distress. Instead of calling him by his character’s name, the audience collectively shouted, “Ahua, are you okay?”
The Traveling Mouse recalled the boy with the dog squad; wasn’t his name Ahua?
Ahua was quickly replaced by another boy, who performed admirably.
Strangely, the Traveling Mouse began to realize that the characters in the movie were people he had encountered on the street: the pastry girl, the man with the heavy backpack, the flower-selling girl, and even the bookstore owner—she was wearing the pink lily he had given her. He even spotted the innkeeper, who was playing a rider.
“Oh my, that old man—I gave him a flower too!” the Traveling Mouse exclaimed, eager to share this realization with those around him, only to find that the audience had thinned out considerably.
Meanwhile, more performers appeared on stage, acting out a joyous finale. It all made sense!
After the show, the Traveling Mouse strolled back to the inn, still pondering many questions.
As soon as he entered, the innkeeper greeted him with a smile. “I know, it’s confusing for newcomers. Let me explain.”
It turned out the town was so remote that new movie reels couldn’t arrive in time. When an outsider recounted the movie’s plot, the townsfolk would spring into action, each person finding a suitable role for themselves, bringing life and excitement to the town.
“What an unusual cinema!” the Traveling Mouse chuckled, “Can I possibly…”
“You want to snag a role too, right?” the innkeeper read his mind. “No problem, leave it to me!”
Through their conversation, the Traveling Mouse learned that the town hosted two movie showings each week: one followed the original plot, while the other was an adapted version.
“Did you know? Our town’s residents become stars through these performances. It’s no big deal for anyone to have a star in their family,” the innkeeper said proudly. His expression was one of endearment, and the Traveling Mouse found it quite charming.
Excited for the next film, the Traveling Mouse decided to stay longer. He was eager to practice his performance and to star in an extraordinary movie at this extraordinary cinema.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
