From a free-write last week at STROSE.
“Super Soak Those Hos”
Felix Sequinot AKA Felix Rivero AKA Latino Boy Manny was a 13 year-old white boy with buck teeth that thought he was Puerto Rican. Felix was thugged out in large jeans and a fitted cap that he tucked his ears into. He told me that he was part of the Latin Kings and made me watch Latin Kings videos on YouTube with him.
We had an arts space on Madison Avenue and Felix would come by and hang out, come to meetings, or eat food when we had it. Felix was always quite resilient. He never seemed to fit in, probably being that he was 13 and was trying to hang with all of these Albany hipsters. But he came to meeting after meeting. Raising his hand and asking questions.
Before a meeting, one evening, Felix asked if he could take over the stereo for a little bit. I said: sure. So he goes in the back to fiddle around.
In the next moment the stereo is losing control of itself with SUPERSOAK THOSE HOS blowing the subwoofers apart.
And I have never seen a 13 year-old whiteboy thug two-step like that. Felix was moving his tiny wiry little body around like a professional hiphop dancer in a club. Totally amazing. And after that, Felix would always show up before events and put his song on and do a little two-step before events.
we all need to give a little felix before every event in life.
I’m not sure why, but whenever I’m hanging out on Madison in Albany some future slash current twelve year-old Romeo shows up at two in the morning, brandishing some pretty impressive dance moves, and providing endless entertainment for the drunk and sidewalk strewn revelers on their way home right then. Often this individual shows up with his own cassette tape, contained on which are many of his favorite jams, and which he’ll urge you to put on your stereo. Last night, however, not only did he bring the dance moves but also his own pyrotechnic display to accompany all of this, aided and abetted by one lighter-carrying person in attendance. And then, as quickly, he disappeared again, lighter in tow, and a gaggle of inebrients chasing him down the road, slapstick comedy-style.
Being young is no easy gig, but you mine as well make the most of things.
-That kid is arguably my favorite person on Madison.
I hope Felix is back making his moves. Last I knew he was shipped off to CT.