Tuna Salad with Mandarin Oranges

Today for lunch, a dear older couple offered to bring tuna salad for sandwiches and homemade blueberry cobbler. I knew a few of our people really don’t like tuna, so I filled in the meal with some chicken salad with apples in it. I have served this before and knew the few who eat it instead of the tuna like the apples.

When the couple arrived to deliver their food, the woman told me she put mandarin oranges in the tuna to make it go further. Hmmm. I’ve never had mandarin oranges in tuna salad, but I knew most of our people are so grateful for a meal they would be happy to try it. I thanked the dear couple profusely. Not only did they bring blueberry cobbler, but also ice cream cups for “a la mode”!

Photo cred: Chazzi Davis

chicken wont eat Fruit in meat

As I set everything out on the table and prepared to serve it, I announced the choices. One of our young #lovegang guys loudly complained, “Fruit in meat. That’s just not right. I don’t do fruit in meat.” I asked him if he had tried it before. He said, “I don’t need to try it. I know fruit don’t go in meat. My mom always made tuna salad . . .” and he went on to loudly proclaim what things belong in tuna salad. He said, “I’ll have some chips and dessert, but I ain’t eaten that meat fruit salad.”

I gave him what he asked for and continued to serve everyone else. They all ate their full and said they were surprised they liked mandarin oranges in their tuna salad. Not too bad was the consensus. The blueberry cobbler with ice cream knocked their socks right off.

Reverse Psychology

Not everyone gathers to our lunch at the same time. They come in waves. A straggler every few minutes. Two or three together. When a new person arrived, I explained again what we were eating today, “We have chicken salad with apples in it and tuna salad with mandarin oranges in it. Now, one of these guys here was scared of fruit in his meat salad, so I don’t know if you want to eat it or not, but this is what we have today.” He said, “I’m not picky. Give me whichever you choose, and thank you very much.”

The eating and banter ensued as we ate together. A story was told of a conflict at camp last night and how one of the guys had said, “Our only war is Love. We can solve this with Love, not with fighting. We are about Love, guys.” They all laughed and counted out how many #lovegang tattoos there were around the yard. A new friend asked, “What’s the initiation for this gang?” They told him about the tattoo, how they decided to take it, and that it stands for loving our enemies.

Apples and Chicken

In the midst of the chatter and chaos, the young fruit/meat refuser came to me and said, “I heard what you said. You said it loud enough for me to hear, didn’t ya? Your reverse psychology worked. I ain’t afraid a nothin’. Ya’ll hear that! I ain’t afraid a nothin’.” He said, “Give me some a that tuna orange stuff. I ain’t afraid a nothin’.” I laughed.

I made him a sandwich and he sat down. I was busy serving more folks who arrived. A few minutes later he was at the table again. “I’ll take one with that chicken salad now, thank you very much. I think I’ll like the apples even better than the oranges.” By the time I packed up the empty containers to load in my car, a boy who sometimes goes days without eating and is skinny as a rail had eaten four fruit/meat salad sandwiches. Eating’s good in the #belovedchaos.