Gilbert
Well....I grew up on a council estate in Greater Manchester called Hattersley (on the outskirts of Hyde). Looking through the posts I can see that Manchester has more than its fair share of nutters. I think I should add a few more to the mix.

On Hattersley our nutter was Gilbert, a 6'4" black man who wore a blue padded anorak and a wooly hat. He wandered around Hattersley, Hyde, and occasionally Ashton, standing on street corners chuckling away and sometimes talking to himself. He was harmless and us kids rarely had a go at him (mainly because someone figured out that Gilbert would give them money if you asked him nicely).

As I said, most people left him to himself but one night I remember some Chavs having a massive go at him, shouting and laughing, and throwing bricks. My dad (being brave or quite possibly stupid) went over to see if he could help, only to be told by Gilbert that he should go back to his car "them's bad people".
As my dad got back into his car, Gilbert threw one almighty wobbler and chased the Chavs back to their chav-mobile (a Vauxhall Nova or similar natch), where Gilbert promptly ripped the door of said chav-mobile off its hinges. That showed them. They shit themselves and sped off, minus one car door (which Gilbert was waving around in the air).

It was the single most impressive thing I have ever seen. Spack Attacks rule.

Oh, and we also have two local characters who are (or were) a teensy bit loopy. You may have heard of them...they go by the names of Ian Brady and Harold Shipman.

It must be something in the water near here. Now, time for my medication...muhahahahahaha...
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Tue 21 Sep 2004, 15:07, Reply)