Would you get arrested for your job?

Last Friday, Alex and I almost did.

If you're an FGCU student odds are you spend your weekends at the (yes, Alex, THE) Gulf Coast Town Center. However, they just changed the hours of liquor sales from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m.

The rumor is that the goal is to make the Gulf Coast Town Center more "family friendly," but with establishments like BAR Louie, Miller's ALE house, and Cigar BAR, the bartenders are going to have to invest in a Chuckie Cheese costume to get those six-year-old birthday parties booked anytime soon.

Alex, his friend Jake and I met up in front of Border's without much of a plan. We had a camera and our makeshift press passes so we set off going bar to bar to ask for interviews.

We first tried Miller's Ale house, but were turned down. Jake had a point, "They're already known for their bartenders dealing drugs... I don't think they have much else to say."
The next stop was the Cigar Bar. Outside on the patio, the bouncer was standing at his post and stopped Alex before he could enter. Unfortunately, our editor gave us the go to cover a story requiring an over 21 reporter, so the manager had to come outside to us before we could be let in.

When the bar manager comes out, it turns out to be Randy, a bartender that has dealt with me one belligerant Friday night and underage stumbling around his bar. This was also the same night I was trying to bribe the guy playing guitar to play me every John Mayer song he knew. Randy gives me a look and goes, "Oh hey honey - where have you been lately?"

Oh great, he remembers me. How embarassing.

However, my not-so-great behavior on one isolated occasion benefitted us and he let us in to film some b-roll of the bar.

Alex grabbed the camera off of the tripod and tried to get some shots without getting in the way of the bartenders. I stood off to the side holding the tripod, when a middle-aged man walks by, looks at me a little sideways and says, "Usually in bars, people are holding beers... not tripods."

Alright, enough of the drunks.

Next we headed over to Blu Sushi, and Alex had interviewed one of the managers earlier that day so we had the okay to film there.

We were standing at the bar waiting for a bartender to make a drink so we could film it, with Alex prodding, "Dude, just make something cool."

Mr. Bartender was not co-operating, so I tapped the guys next to me.

Me: "Can you guys order drinks so we can film it?"

I put on my best smile, and they complied. What's the use of being a girl if I can't use it to my advantage?

Last, but not least, we needed establishing shots. In the film world, that basically means shots of the environment to set the stage of our video. We stood outside of Firepit by the amphitheatre, and a tall, black security guard craned his neck over to question us.

Security guard: "What y'all doin' here?"
Me (showing my pass): "Naples Daily News."

We walked over through the amphitheatre and Sir Rent-A-Cop followed, shaking his head.

Clearly, we were not wanted.

A few minutes later, he walks up to us as we were standing by the valet stand.

Sir Rent-A-Cop (on the phone): "Miss, Can I have your name?"
Me: (Showing my pass)
Sir RAC: I'm sorry, you guys have to leave. Tom [GCTC manager] said so.

So we comply, and head out into the parking lot to get some quotes from some patrons.

We're standing there, and a guy pulls up behind us.

"HEY CAMERA GUY!" he shouts as we turn around.

Guy In Car: "FILM ME!"
Alex: "Okay! Park your car!"

I'm pretty sure that guy was a few beers over .08.

We do a quick interview with a drunken Canadian girl who was in his backseat, and Sir Rent-A-Cop wanders up to us with a scowl.

He gives us a look, and Guy In Car comes to our defense. Except his liquor-fueled soapbox probably wasn't helping our case.

GIC: "COME ON NOW, FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IS A FIRST AMENDMENT. DON'T LEAVE! FREEDOM OF THE PRESS!"

Alex was laughing, Jake was a little confused, and I was just waiting for our friend the security guard to call a guy with a real badge.

We went out to Jake's car and we had one final mission before we left: my stand up.

Jake drove Alex and I to the front of the Ale house, and I had literally one try to do my stand up before we got thrown out for the third and probably final time before we were just thrown in the back of a police car for trespassing.

Alex: "Caity. You have literally ONE try to do this."
Me: "Oh God."

We jumped out, and I began, "The Gulf Coast Town Center is a popular place to get a drink, and uh..."

Jake was laughing, Alex was freaking out, and I couldn't get the words out.

Lovely.

I finally got it, sweaty, hot, and stammering. But we finished.

And we didn't go to jail.