Hockey fans, look no further. You've found him. The man who will bring you cold beer and snacks during the Stanley Cup playoffs. No, he's not God. He is Scott Fix, the bartender at the Maple Leaf Pub (514 Elgin Street).
Fix has been bartending for 15 years, two-and-a-half of those at the Maple Leaf. The regulars call him by name. It's like Cheers for hockey fans. And, yes, there are hockey fans in Houston, even though ice is something we usually see in the movies.
Last night, Fix sat down with us at the bar. It's his only break from people calling his name for drink refills. But, he loves it -- even the Stanley Cup playoffs with rowdy hockey fans and free-flowing beer. "It's crazy, but it's fun. We look forward to it all year."
Pub Crawls are another story. Huge groups of drunken crawlers unexpectedly swarming a bar in the middle of the afternoon...fun for us, nightmare for a lone bartender. But, hey, they do make for a good story, especially when it involves drunken rugby players smashing ice on their foreheads. Blood running down your face while drinking a beer - it's Saturday at the Maple Leaf.
When it's his turn to indulge, Fix opts for Irish whiskey or local beer -- St. Arnold's or Real Ale, of course. The Maple Leaf Pub always has the latest St. Arnold's on tap. Last night, we had the Christmas Ale, one of Fix's personal favorites. Warning: One too many of this higher-alcohol-content deliciousness, and you too may be smashing ice cubes on your forehead.
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Fix is happy to help you, too. Well, as long as you don't whistle at him or tap your credit card continuously on the bar. What's the best tip he's ever gotten? Ask his fiancée. They met while he was bartending.