Where did Umbrella Man go? - Santa Cruz Sentinel

[really]

Robert is a sweet guy and I'd rather have him walking around, harming no one and asking for nothing, than run into some of the intolerant people I see posting on these boards.

I agree that someone should do a check to see if he is okay. I DID worry when he started to look a bit ragged, as he had always been clean and his costumes neat beforehand. I miss him--he would actually talk to me quite a bit when he was in the mood and he was always very wise and funny.

[America in Decline]

Freaks and degenerates have been roaming the streets of downtown for decades.

What I don't get is what makes this guy special from all the rest.

I wonder how much gas was wasted by the Scotts Valley Sentinel reporter to do this top story.

[Slow down everyone]

duck wrote:

That creepy feeling some of you describe has a calming effect on me. Everyone else moving by in a blur and he is a reminder to me to slow down...

I agree! One day I was literally running in a hurry on Pacific Ave and nearly ran into him. He was a nice reminder for me to slow down. I like him and even the thought of him makes me smile. I hope all is well with you, Mister.

[another thought]

jeez what a bunch of hateful people we have here. Umbrella man is just different and wierd but harmless. Go hate elsewhere.

[dooner]

America in Decline wrote:

Freaks and degenerates have been roaming the streets of downtown for decades.
What I don't get is what makes this guy special from all the rest.
I wonder how much gas was wasted by the Scotts Valley Sentinel reporter to do this top story.

I think the article was written to see how many jerks they could bring out of the woodwork. What an eye opener. If all these people really live in Santa Cruz, the town is a lot less tolerant than I ever imagined.

It's a pity these losers (not talking about Robert) have nothing better to occupy their attention. Maybe another town would suit them better? Say Crawford, TX?

[debrab]

He logged into my space yesterday.
http://www.myspace.com/robertpinky

[Downtowner]

Again some of you make downtown sound like a demilitarized war zone....and if u think that way you are a grade a wimp.

With that said Roberts slow walks didnt bother me in the begining....but to be honest the longer it went on the worse he got...the main problems being that he stares at you with that creepy smile and secondly that he stinks to high heaven. He didnt used to stink but at some point he stopped washing his costuume, think about it he walks around in the sun with layers of clothes on...the guy has B.O. that will make me choke from 10 feet away.

Sorry Robert....i aint knockin yer lifestyle...but goddamn man take a bath and wash your costume. And dont stare so hard...freaks me out and im a grown man.

[Downtowner]

Oh yeah just a reminder to people that feel the need to make threats of physical violence....that is considered a crime in california, and it doesnt matter that its on a forum...its still a crime. I see it alot on these comment boards and its just sick.

[minica]

****

[Another santa cruz parent]

I have read this whole thread and I agree that this fellow is disturbing. Like santacruzParent - my daughter has had problems with him. My daughter & some of her friends were downtown window shopping. They stopped in front of Palace Arts and were talking about the display. Robert walks up to them, stands very close and starts staring at them. They moved down and he moved as well. They were so freaked out they went into Palace Arts and stayed there until he left. Later they were in front of the hat shop (great place BTW) and he showed up again - staring. Very creepy.

I know many of you like this man, but he really freaked out my daughter and her friends. They should be able to walk downtown without being made to feel uncomfortable.

[take another puff]

wow! this is good stuff!

[dooner]

Pamparius wrote:

He is probably back in prison for child molestation. You can find him on the Megan's law page.

The man on the Megan's Law web site is Robert Russell Steffen and I believe the Santa Cruz Robert is Robert F. Steffen.

My, what this human nature article has stirred up!

[Reciprocity]

SO it is a case of almost same name different guy? I thought so, the guy in the picture doesn't look like the umbrella man. Don't know about the other stuff though, thieving or whatever.

[Fur Real]

Yeah, I have no problem with this guy except the fact he needs a wash machine and a shower... You can almost see the B.O. Plus some locals say he's a convicted sex offender but that can mean a number of things. I am all about keeping S.C. "strange" but why a newspaper would glorify this guys behavior before doing some research is just weird!

[sockmonkey]

...yes, anyone who marches (or slowly walks to) to a different drum is now called a convicted sex offender...my, how sad to see so many threatened by so little. So threatened that they advocate violence against the man. Which of course makes those who hate much more pathetic than the Umbrella Man could ever be. The joke is on you, haters!

[SC Midtown]

Sentinel, are we really that hard up for news? Honestly. I consider myself a very tolerant person, but this guy bugs beyond belief. I've been eating outside downtown and looked up to have this guy only inches away from my face staring down at me eavesdropping with that goofy grin. It was so creepy I can't even begin to explain. He seems to feed off the attention, both negative and positive. I've also heard from other people that he seems to step it up a notch when they're trying to ignore him. I've heard he's a convicted sex offender as others have mentioned.

Are we really that devoid culturally that we hold a guy who walks up and down our main thoroughfare in tattered, dirty pink garbs with a vacant grin as an icon? I can think of a lot better things to do if I had a trust fund to live off. As someone born and raised here I've found it frustrating that this attention-starved freak has become an ambassador of sorts in our downtown. He doesn't rep for me nor anyone I know that's from Santa Cruz. Most everyone I know would be happy to know he's gone!

[Downtowner]

they dont need an article like this to pull the jerks out of the woodwork.....there are racist, sexist, intolerant narrow minded, hateful comments posted on here constantly, and it makes me sick...

Roberts behavious is curious....which is why so many people are fascinated with him....some hate it, some love it.

Personally he creeps me out to no end. I cross the street to avoid him. Ive seen him do his slow crawl way to close to other people, violating their personal space in the least.

And yes...i have nothing better to do than comment :-)

[sockmonkey]

oops ...sorry about the double post.

[Bonny Dooner]

So some slimeball who gets in trouble (in one "costume") for leering at women and lurking in a threatening manner outside someone's business...can come back dressed in pink and pretending to be enraptured by happiness and tweety birds -- or something -- and he's everyone's darling?! This town is just deeply twisted. I'm in there with the "good riddance" gang. I would cross the street to avoid the creepy, pink phony. And the little baby mayor thinks it's all great. And the spoiled children at UCSC view him as an icon!

It's about time the SC took pride in someone who's actually accomplished something.

[dooner]

Shame Robert just doesn't have that "Joe SantaCruz" look, that so many try to have. If only we all looked the same, how nice that would be. We could have a camera-operated trap door in front of the Del Mar. Don't fit the profile? See ya!

I guess I'll have to stop telling people "Santa Cruz is a wonderful and tolerant place to live."