Ionuț adjusted his faux-leather jacket and felt a slow grin creep across his face. He didn't have the cash for a steak, but as he watched the kids recognize the rhythm of his struggle, he realized he was still the king of the street. He tapped his rings against the Formica table, keeping time with his own destiny.
Just as he went to lock the screen, the diner door swung open. A group of teenagers walked in, one of them holding a phone aloft. The tinny, energetic beat of Ionuț’s own voice filled the room. The kid was blasting the new mix. Ionut Manelistu - Si Cu Buzunarul Gol, Mix 2017
"Yo, this beat is fire!" one of them shouted, beginning to pull off a clumsy manele dance step between the tables. "Who is this Ionuț? He’s got soul." Ionuț adjusted his faux-leather jacket and felt a