Rats taking on giant dinner rolls and slices of pizza in the subway have become fodder for viral memes this year, but no New York City rodent has attempted such a feat as one undertaken at the height of Monday's morning rush at Penn Station.
A video posted to YouTube shows a determined rat trying to make its way down the escalator — but going the wrong way — at the Seventh Avenue exit of the busy transit hub around 9 a.m.
People taking the escalator were lunging out of the way as they noticed the rat, according to NBC staffer Josh Kleinbaum, who saw it in action. A woman handing out copies of the Metro newspaper was urging passersby to step on the creature.
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Sam Mazur, who took the video, according to Gothamist, told the website the rat caused a bit of commotion.
"But most people were more amused by it than anything," Mazur said. "It's not like New Yorkers haven't seen a rat before. Still, I'm glad I took the stairs."
