BARKEEP: Laura Collins
Bar Residence: Hal & Mal’s
Age: 37
Hometown: Laurel, Miss.
How long bartending: About 16 years
Favorite Drink: A good beer—but it depends on my mood.
My bar isn’t complete without: people
Bar horror: “I once had a guy throw a full can of Red Bull at me. That’s one of the two times I’ve almost gone over the bar after somebody. And when I asked him why the hell he did it (as he was being kicked out), he said, ‘I just thought it would get your attention.’ I thought, ‘I’m going to kill this man.’ I don’t know what I would have done (if the can had hit me). I probably would’ve cried. It would’ve been the only time I’ve cried behind the bar.”
How to make a Pearl Diver
You’ll need:
• Malibu rum
• Dash of banana
• Dash of pineapple
Directions: Shake all ingredients together and serve it up in a martini glass.
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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.