Describe Eddie's relationship with children. How do children react to Eddie? Why? What do they sometimes call him?

Eddy is a crotchety curmudgeon on the surface. He pretends he is not interested in children but this is not truly the case. Eddie loves children: he dies trying to save one. Children are drawn to Eddie because they see through his emotional defences. Although Eddie had no children of his own, they defined his life. He risked his life twice to save children he did not know.