Went to a part of the city last week that I had never been to… Harlem! A couple from my church just had a baby. I suggested to them last Sunday that I bring them dinner. So the plan was to go to their apartment Thursday after work. One of the great things about the city is that there is a diner, deli, store, restaurant on every corner (can I get an “Amen” from the fellow New York travelers?) My thought bubble, “I will get off the subway at 116th and just go to whatever restaurant is by their”. Yep, that’s the plan alright.

I got off the subway um yeah, around 6:30 pm I believe. Well let’s see, no food places in this direction, I guess I will walk the other direction. This is New York City for goodness sake, there is an Italian restaurant on every corner. (20 minutes later) Well this isn’t quite working as I planned. Let’s see, my two options are Fried Chicken or Soul Food. So I made a quick call to my friends and asked how they felt about fried chicken. “We love fried chicken”. Okay, then that is it, I am going to Popey’s chicken!

At this point I have been walking around Harlem tired and hungry. Okay, I am going to buy the chicken and go to their apartment! Cool, I am up next to order. Let me grab my debit card. “We only take cash”. “WHAT, what the heck, who only takes cash these days…?” So I need to figure out plan b.

Can you tell me where I can buy food with a debit card”, I ask a woman on the street. I am sure Amy’s Soul food takes cards. Then that is where I am going! So I purchase two chicken dinners to go! I get to my friends’ apartment about 1 hour later. They eat dinner and everyone is happy.

So the next day I am recounting my evening with two of my black coworkers and they are quite amused. “Kim, I can just picture you in Harlem trying to pay for fried chicken with a credit card!” I think they take credit cards at Popey’s in Dallas! Don’t they?

I like Harlem, I think I will go back!