THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 17, 1995 TAG: 9508170565
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
True, hurricanes have eyes. But can they read?
Outer Banks residents and businesses seem to think so. Using the plywood boards nailed over windows and doors as makeshift canvases, people painted and taped their messages to Hurricane Felix.
``Come and get us, Felix,'' taunted a message in red spray paint on the boards covering the windows at Professional Floors Inc. in Nags Head.
Other graffiti markings attempted to appeal to the storm's kinder, gentler side.
``Spare me Felix,'' pleaded the plywood that secured a Nags Head home on U.S. 158.
Others made their dislike quite clear.
``Leave us alone, you nasty sucker,'' was spray-painted in black on the door of Sea Oats Realty in the Pirate's Quay Shopping Center in Nags Head.
The plywood protecting Impacciatore's, an Italian Cafe in Kill Devil Hills, advertised the storm as the day's special in red paint: ``Now serving Felix.''
One Kill Devil Hills homeowner even used wooden window coverings to profess love for the storm. Surrounded by red hand-painted hearts sat the words: ``Marry me Felix!!!''
Several messages kept a feline motif, in homage to the popular comic strip cat with the same name.
``I tawt I saw a puddy tat,'' exclaimed the graffiti on a Kitty Hawk realty agent's boards.
The plywood covering windows at Simple Delights Ice Cream in the Surf Side Plaza in Nags Head read, ``Felix, you're not a cool cat.''
Jason Otrell, a Kitty Hawk resident, said he painted ``Bite me, Felix,'' for comic relief, on the board covering his door.
``Quite honestly, I'm scared,'' Otrell said, shaking his can of red spray paint. ``I've been through a couple of these, and it's frightening. Painting a statement like this is harmless, it's funny and it makes people laugh.
``We could all use a laugh about now.''
Other residents used their plywood for political statements.
``Felix is Newt's Fault,'' read the door of a home in Manteo, while the windows of a Southern Shores home stated, ``Bill Clinton loves Felix.''
Still other graffiti markings had nothing to do with the hurricane.
The board protecting the glass storefront of Waves Music in Nags Head served as a music review forum.
It trumpeted: ``Hootie (and the Blowfish) is overplayed.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
DREW C. WILSON/Staff
Rita Tranquillo is the personnel manager at Kmart in Kill Devil
Hills. In her opinion, it's time for Felix to bug off.
KEYWORDS: HURRICANE FELIX by CNB