I don't want no Effin Tuna!

"I don't Want No Effin Tuna"

True story by Cynthia Zuehl 2016

Ok those who know me know my life has not always been easy.  I have had struggles and more struggles sometimes more than I thought I could bare.  However, I trusted the Lord prayed and took every gift I was given, Gave back, helped others in need, and prayed Lord I prayed.  I am by far no saint tho. 

I have been lucky to find folks in my life that have been there for me, looked out for me, and I was taught how to survive by the life of hard knocks and my parents. I have had scrapes with death and put my trust in my doctors and God to heal me, and they have.

I worked hard, paid my dues, and gave what I could when I could.

So here we are 2016.

Sunday morning I woke up made Albacore tuna sandwiches from a 2 cans of free tuna and 2 jars of free relish I got from my local grocer for buying 2 loafs of bread (score!) I carefully toasted the bread, made the tuna, put the tuna on the toast, put each sandwich in a plastic container, cut each sandwich in half, and put the lid on it. I placed them in my cooler with ice packs between each sandwich so they would stay ice cold all day long.

Why did I make so many you ask?  My Daughters had a Horse show and my son was going along as well.  I had to feed a small army.

At the end of the day I had 2 & 1/2 sandwiches left.  My fiancee and I were at the gas station buying some snacks for our movie night for the evening.  I saw a homeless man who was very unkempt and  sitting in a lump of clothing on the sidewalk.  My first thought is that, "That was almost me about 13 years ago but someone gave me a place to stay, and I worked hard, and got back to where I am now.  I was knocked down about 3 different times in my life.  Being a military vet I also know how hard it is to get back to regular life after the government has taken care of you for so many years." My heart went out to him, why you ask?  Why him after so many panhandlers have asked me for money and I have refused?  Because...He asked for nothing.

We came back out from the store, I told my fiancee, "babe ask him if he wants the tuna sandwiches, we need to give back", knowing me...he asked because I would not have given up.  However, when he went to ask the man was relieving himself behind a dumpster.  So we waited...we casually talked for a bit until he returned to the sidewalk after his evacuation.  My fiance said "say man would you like some tuna sandwiches my wife made?" (he calls me wife how sweet)

The guy walked up to my fiancee and said in a matter of fact way "NO I don't want no effing tuna" (he said the actual f word though).  He then said "but I will take one of your cigarettes please. 

Well I never.  A simple no, or no I do not care for tuna would have been lovely.  To curse my beautiful sandwiches I made for my family.  We don't have a lot and we really don't have any extra, but I thought maybe some food in someone else belly is what I was moved by Gods graces to do. 

My fiancee laughed all the way home at the way the man said the phrase.  "At least he asked nicely for the smoke", my fiance shared.  I was still a bit stung, but it was quite comical.  Now it is a catch phrase in my house..."No we don't want no tuna!"