Character Sketch: Annie Fitz

Most (well, many) locals here will tell you tales of Annie Fitz, and most (well, many, unfortunately) of these tales are true.

Meet the illusive and infamous Annie Fitz, captured here by some low-rent camera phone operated by a passerby who was not me.

By all accounts the most well-known drunk in the city of Limerick, Annie Fitz will do anything for a can of cider. Or beer. Or whatever beverage might come in a can-shaped vessel and contain even trace amounts of alcohol. Annie lives in the park, in good weather, and howls at the moon, when visible. And she is always, ALWAYS drunk.

Townsfolk speak of the following--

Annie relieves herself in public. Yes, both #1 and #2. Amazingly, against storefront windows, somehow defying physical laws of nature.

Annie performs certain acts on men in exchange for booze. Maybe she is an equal opportunity booze whore, too, but no female stories have surfaced. And why men admit to participating in that is beyond me.

Annie pulls steak knives on elderly shopkeepers to demand chewing gum. See previous item.

Annie set her boyfriend or her brother on fire. Perhaps, one and the same.

Of all the travellers (Irish gypsies, see Brad Pitt's character in "Snatch,") homeless people, street urchins and otherwise shady denizens traipsing around over here, Annie Fitz is by far the best-known character. For Little Rock residents, this would mean she's bigger than Dirty Walking Man and Dirty Santa combined. She's the Elvis of the Underbelly. Team Fitz.