state street is the "main drag" in santa barbara going from uptown through downtown, and old town, all the way down to the beach. it is a long downhill slope from uptown to the beach. i would most often see holden about 18 or 20 blocks up from the beach at the edge of uptown santa barbara, though i normally hung out down by the beach.

once, a few years ago when i saw holden at a street corner where he hung out in uptown, he said "bear, do you have $5 you could loan me until the end of the week?" he had never asked me before, i had it, and i said "yes, sure holden, here ....". perhaps a week passed and i did not see holden until he rolled up to me down by the beach. i had never seen him in this neighborhood before (i am sure the roll in his wheelchair back uptown was not easy). i said "holden, what are you doing way down here?". he said i was looking for you, i haven't seen you uptown and i wanted to give you your $5 back".

Holden and I have been Tribe friends for at least a couple years now, and though we rarely communicate personally, he has a quiet way of distinguishing himself. I experience him as a "witness": an active observer, a nonjudgmental presence. His influence, wherever I have encountered him, has consistently been peaceful, moderate, good-humored, compassionate, and edifying.

But if you're visiting his profile, you've probably already discovered that about him, too.

It's all true.

Holden is absolutely consistent with an open mind and heart. Santa Barbara would be quite a lesser place if not for Holden showing us what real patience, strength and commitment look like and are about.

After marching with the saturday peace march for a time and talking with Holden. I realize that his grasp of our true situation exceeds that of most people and that we all have a true ally for peace, truth, justice and freedom in this man.

Holden is a deep thinker and an open and freindly
person. He is easy to miss, but a real gem to get to know. I relate well to him as a geek and intellectual,
and on a few occasions, he has demonstrated that he
can have a generous listening ear to let me unload whats on my mind. In Santa Barbara, He is one of the
"people in the neighborhood" and you can frequently see him making his way up and down State Street,
and etc. Some days we share the same Computer lab,
which is an interesting bit of trivia. In my lonely real life
world, Holden is a shining star of a person...Thanks Holden for being there for me.

I also met Holden at Roma in the eighties when a name like Holden made me so inspired that I changed my name to Esme (Nice Day for Bananafish). Other Holden inspirations: his smile, his zine, his cafe life and positivity. Basically, I like Holden and what he stands for and my kid likes him too. LONG LIVE HOLDEN, true king of Santa Barbara! Who ever wanted the patron saint of prisoners to be the title of this town. Lets call it Holden town.

I've known Holden since...

... well, since Roma, 1989 or 1990...

His epic zine Short Fuse was a sort of lifeline at times. I think I wrote a poem or dream or two for it over the years.

But there has NEVER been anyone in Santa Barbara with whom someone could speak about so many RANDOM yet STRANGELY CONNECTED topics, and Holden was the one to make those connections.

He's like a node for cosmic tangents.

Wait, he's THE node for cosmic tangents. He is by far the most important person in Santa Barbara, way more important than the mayor, the supervisors, Fess Parker, and all those schmucks at the "Independent" combined.

I met Holden at the Espresso Roma Cafe in 1986, back when they actually allowed smoking in such places. Holden didn't need to smoke; he could be disgusting enough just by letting a gob of butter from his bagel hang from his facial hair like a low-rent money shot. In the years that I have known Holden, he has proven himself to be both curmudgeonly and smart as hell. He makes Santa Barbara almost tolerable and that iis no mean feat.

Well first of I've known Holden for many many years. We both have been long members of the local Coffee Culture her in Santa Barbara. Holden is a righteous guy & always guarenteed to have stimulating intellectial conversations with him as he's quite the scholary type. Holden has only 1 fault. He believes he is the Ugliest Man in the known Universe. We will over look this delusion of his & allow him his dreams. But for the record that title belongs to me.