PUGGY!
When I was in school, there was an old feller who used to wander up and down the road outside the school picking up coins and whatnot from the floor. He would do this everyday for the whole seven years I was there and had done it for many years before that and as far as I know, continues to this day. He was affectionately called Puggy by the nasty little fuckers like myself who would throw pennies and watch him pick them up all through lunch break.
Cut to a couple of years later I was working at a local recycling facility which offered equal employment opportunities to people with learning disabilities or other mental/physical impairments. This was where I met Puggy - or George - for real - and he was an absolute sweetheart. Along with many of the other local 'characters' who got abuse thrown at them by unpleasant schoolkids and ignorant crowd followers (hanging head in shame).
They may all have had Downe's Syndrome, or been complete and utter loons but that was by far the most lively, loving and fun workplace I've ever had the pleasure of working in.

*not strictly 'eccentrics' I know, but alot of these posts seem to be highlighting mentally impaired people, rather than harmless nuts*
( BlueHaze Chutney. All good., Tue 4 Nov 2008, 16:22, Reply)