Black-Owned Restaurant #11: The Pink Tea Cup

While I was walking on 14th street, I notice a young black woman holding flowers and I jokingly asked if the flowers were for me? She gently pulled out this beautiful sunflower and gave it to me. I told her I was just playing, but she said she was out spreading love by giving strangers flowers. Inspired by seeing another young woman on social media, she wanted to spread that same love in NYC. Excited and grateful, I joined her for about 15 minutes and walked around Union Square and  gave flowers to strangers and told them to continue to spread the love. Our time came to an end shortly after but I told her I would keep this flower in my possession for the rest of the day because it was given to me out of genuine love.

Around 4:45 PM, I randomly selected “The Pink Tea Cup” and left work to head to the restaurant in Brooklyn. I arrived at the PTC and fell in love with the outside of the restaurant and began to visualize how I would take my photo for social media. I opened the door and walked in, but then realized I had my headphones blasting so I turned back around and walked out. I walked back in and noticed the puzzled looks on the employee's faces, I smiled and told them when I walk into a restaurant for the first time I liked to use all my senses to feel the energy of the place. I laughed with the employee Niesha and introduced myself and my “November’s Journey.” She walked me over to my seat and told me she would be my waitress. Before she walked away, she told me they only took cash and if needed, there was an ATM near the restrooms. I checked my account and realized I did not have enough money to pull from the ATM; I had my credit card, but that wouldn't be much help. I told Niesha I was not going anywhere, I was determined to figure this out. My journey led me here, and I was not going to allow anything to stand in my way from being at PTC. I called my bank and tried to have money transferred from my savings to my checking, but to no avail. I did not want to ask anyone because of my pride, and this is my personal journey that I should fund alone. I realized I needed help so I reached out to my good friend I recently met on my 22nd birthday in New Orleans, Miciah and asked if she could loan me $40. I was reluctant to call because she voluntarily gave me $75 a few days prior, but I knew I could count on her. After she sent the money I realized I had spent 25 minutes trying to figure out my finances and I still hadn't ordered (I was now a bit agitated and beyond hungry). I told Niesha I was ready to order; I asked her what would she recommend, and she enthusiastically told me about the smothered pork chops. I told her I was thinking of the same thing. I then had a bright idea and told her I wanted her to randomly select my food this evening. “I am allergic to shrimps, crabs, and the other seafood except for fish and salmon.” “Oh and my drink, order that too” (I don’t know where I thought I was). Niesha laughed but didn't know what to say. I guess Niesha’s manager could see the perplexed look on her face, so she came over to check up on me. I got up to introduce myself and reached to shake her hand, but because of religious purposes, she gently declined my handshake. I sat back down and told the manager how I asked Niesha to order my food. I then told her I was on this journey and wanted my meal to be randomly selected. The manager said all right and walked Niesha to where the bar was, however, I heard the manager select the meal I would eat. When she walked by I told her, I wanted Niesha to order my meal, as I wanted HER to choose something for me to eat. The manager explained that Niesha was relatively new and did not entirely know the menu. I realize another ten minutes had past and my agitation grew. Within a few minutes, the manager brought over a plate of Chicken n Waffles; I told her how I did not want what she selected for me. The manager told me Niesha will not be selecting what I eat. Between my patience running out and my stomach growling, my frustration grew, and as I  put on my jacket to leave, an older black woman in her mid-60s looked at me and said: “Don't judge the restaurant based off the experience you had with one person, the food here is very good.” I slowly sat back down to show my respect but intended on getting back up once Ms. Yakini finished speaking to me. Her husband Wil (with one “L”) joined the conversation, and they both talked to me for about 20 minutes about the various foods on the menu. I checked my watch and realized an hour had passed, and I still had not eaten anything, and the more Ms. Yakini and Wil talked about the menu and their love for the ribs (which they both got) the more I wanted to put aside my pride and eat at PTC. Ms. Yakini called her waiter over and started going through the menu with me, and she ended up helping me select my dinner. A couple of minutes later, the smothered pork chops arrived…. Ms. Yakini said: “Demetrius, didn't you say Niesha recommended the pork chops?” I remembered the one, and only thing Niesha did recommend was the smothered pork chops. Before I could answer, I looked at Wil and Ms. Yakini and watched as they both prayed the same prayer in harmony with each other. I jokingly said they look like yin and yang with Wil’s all black and Ms. Yakini’s all white attire. While I joked with them, I was sitting back admiring the love they shared between each other. The beautiful part of their relationship was they were both Afrocentric; Ms. Yakini showed her Afrocentrism by having her gray hair in an afro and Wil showed by wearing all black. I fell in love with their connection and respect for one another; I imagined sharing that same connection with my wife one day. Wil spoke to me about practicing humility at all times and reminded me how all the frustration I had previously showed was not needed. Ms. Yakini added, “Waiters and waitresses are meant to serve you the food and not order your food.” I put my head back against the wall as I thought about my previous actions. Will continued “Demetrius, you are on this journey for you. Don’t let anyone deter you from what you are seeking but practice humility and patience always.” A few moments later the manager walked over and gave me a refill of my drink and said, “this one is on the house” both Wil and Ms. Yakini looked at me and smiled.

As I was getting up to leave, I found the Sunflower the young lady gave me earlier, and I explained to Wil and Ms. Yakini how the sunflower came from a stranger today, and it was given to me out of love. I told them how every time I looked at this flower it reminded me of a genuine and gracious heart and how I felt bad I did not see it during my conversation with the manager because maybe I would have acted more kindly. “And that is why you are on this journey Demetrius. You are learning how to grow” Ms. Yakini said. I thanked both Wil and Yakini for sharing this experience with me and for blessing me with their love. I then walk up to the manager and apologized for being impatient and rude; she thanked me for my apology.

I am so grateful and appreciative to Wil and Ms. Yakini for reminding me to continue on my November’s Journey but with much humility and patience.

Thank you, The Pink Tea Cup, for being a part of my journey and for the beautiful lessons. And big-ups to the chef!!! That smothered pork chop was everything!!

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