Alligator Gate-crash

The headline and lead of a report in the Guardian:

Gator aid: Florida couple call for help after can-do alligator drinks Diet Cokes

A gregarious Florida alligator seemingly could not wait for a family’s birthday party to begin, so it slipped into a garage where supplies were being stored and chugged down a slab of Diet Coke.

The headline and lead of the original local news report:

Alligator gives Collier County couple a birthday surprise

A Collier County couple was met with quite the surprise when they found an alligator in their garage.

Birthday surprises can be thrilling and fun, and in Florida, they can be wild. The Dobsons, who live in the Wyndemere community, got just that when they found a gator in their garage days ahead of a big birthday.

Karyn and her husband Jamie were watching TV on Wednesday night when they heard what they thought was a car accident.

“The crash was so big like wicked,” said Karyn.

“I open the garage door about a quarter way, peek my head in, and there’s the alligator,” said Jamie. “Quickly close the door, ‘Karyn, we have an alligator in our garage,’ something from the midwest I really haven’t experienced before.”