The First Time Ever I…

1972

The first time ever I saw your face

I thought the sun rose in your eyes

The life-sized Santa's Elf doll seemed to smile at Kyle as he drove his automatic floor scrubber down the main hallway of the mall past the Christmas Village display late one night. The smile caught him off guard making him believe he was seeing things as the display was shut down and only the cleaning crew remained in the mall. He made a complete sweep to the end of the corridor and on his way back, he decided to investigate. As he looped past the display, he realized the doll was actually human. He was drawn to her unbelievably beautiful face. She had pale skin, nearly white blonde hair, a cute smile with deep dimples, a bit of rouge on her cheeks and deep, cherry red lipstick. He gave her a tiny wave and drove again up towards the main entrance. As he drove along, he thought about her. She was seriously cute in her little red and white elf hat, dark green stockings and a dirndl dress which emphasized her attractive figure.

Kyle kept wondering what the girl was doing at the display so late in the evening and on his next trip by the display, he pulled over and turned off the scrubber. "Hi," he said before kicking himself."What a lame way to greet someone," he thought to himself.

"Hi. You with the cleaning crew?"

"Yup. Helps pay the bills while I go to school part-time."

"Oh? Where do you go?"

"I'm at the JC. Trying to get enough credits so I can transfer to City University."

"Cool. What's your major?"

"You're gonna think it's lame. Sociology."

"Well, not lame, but what're you gonna do with a degree in sociology?"

"I want to help people. Maybe work for a nonprofit somewhere. Maybe go to grad school and work towards a degree in social work."

"Cool."

"What about you? I mean, what do you do when you're not making presents for Santa?" he chuckled.

"I go to school also. I'm a senior at Wilson High."

"Got plans for next year?"

"College, I guess. I've got several applications in. We'll see."

"What about right now? Why are you waiting here?"

"My sister is supposed to pick me up but said she'd be late. I didn't want to hang out by the mall's front door and told her I'd show up at eleven. She'll pick me up then. Oh! It's almost eleven now, I gotta go."

"Want a ride?"

She smiled at him before saying, "My mother told me to never take a ride with a stranger. I'm Elsa, by the way."

"Kyle."

"Good. We're not strangers. Where should I sit?"

"There's really no place to sit. Here, stand in front of me."

After she hopped on, he had her stand in front of him with his arms around her holding onto the wheel. He had to lean over to see around her but was very aware of her cute little butt right at eye level and the faint smell of sweet perfume. He started the machine, disengaged the cleaning mechanism and drove as fast as possible.

"Woo-hoo," she laughed as she held her hands up in the air. He decided to have a little fun and started to weave a tiny bit causing her to grab onto his arms as her joyful cries switched to giggles and shrieks of mock fear. "Help me, save me from this maniac driver," she called out into the empty corridor, her voice echoing back.

"There's no hope for you, my dear. I have you in my clutches and will tie you to the railroad track unless you tell me where the gold is hidden!"

"Never! Never!" she exclaimed with melodramatic flair, "I would rather die than lose the money for the orphanage."

They both cracked up as he slowed down and drove to the main entrance. Through the doors he could see a white sedan waiting. She jumped up, told him it was her sister, thanked him for the ride and let herself out the door. He turned around and drove back down the corridor to resume the boring task of cleaning the floor of the mall, all the while thinking about the cute and funny girl he'd just met.

On the next night Kyle drove up to the Christmas Village with a bit of anxiety. "Would she be there?" he kept wondering. He made a loop behind the display and once in front, he could see she was there again, pretending to be a doll. He smiled at her and though her eyes sparkled, the small smile on her face remained frozen. He made a few funny faces at her without causing her to laugh or move, so he turned off the machine, crawled over the red ribbon barrier and approached her.

"Hi, Elsa. Pretending to be a doll so you don't have to put up with my driving?"

There was no answer though he could see she tracked him with her eyes.

"You know, bad little girls get coal in their stockings and if you don't talk, I'll tell Santa you're a bad little girl."

Still no answer, though he could see she was struggling to keep from laughing.

"And bad little girls occasionally get spanked," he laughed as he approached her. Right as he was about to touch her, she jumped up giggling and gave him a quick hug.

"No, I'm a good little girl. I should get nice things in my stocking."

"Nope," he laughed, "Coal, only coal for you."

"Aw, puleeze!"

"Well, we'll think about it. So, another late night waiting for a ride?"

"Yeah. One of our cars is in the shop and my sister has to pick me up."

"How does she know when you're ready?"

"Oh, we plan for it in advance. I can't really be seen using a pay phone now, could I?"

"I guess not, you being Santa's elf and all. I'm going to be working in this corridor for a while. Just wave at me if you want another ride?"

"Are you crazy? You almost had me killed last night!" she laughed.

After a few more minutes of chatting, he mounted the cleaner and took off. About half an hour later he was finishing that portion of the mall and saw her waving at him. He drove over and when requested, offered her another ride to the front. The white sedan was nowhere to be seen.

"Shit, she's either late or forgotten."

"No big deal, you're safe inside here."

"Yeah, I guess, but I'm kinda nervous hanging out here by myself."

"I'll stay with you until she comes, OK?"

"Yeah, great. Thanks. So, tell me something about yourself."

"Well, you know I'm going to the JC. I'm a few credits shy of getting my AA degree and then I'll go to City University."

"And you're working because...?"

"Uh, you see, I live with my mom and money's tight. So, I do the best I can."

"And your dad?"

"Took off when I was two or something. No idea where he is."

"That sucks. Sometimes I wish my dad wasn't so involved in my life but I'd never want him to take off."

"What's he do that's so bad?"

"He's an old-school German and is always running my life. I can't make my own decisions at all. He tells me what classes to take, you know, things like that."

"At least he cares about you."

"Yeah, I know. But I'd like to spread my wings a little."

"You're going to college, though, right?"

"Well, yeah, sure."

"Then spread your wings then. He'll never know, unless you go to City University."

"No, he wants me to go to a 'real' college, uh, those are his words, not mine. I know City's got a good reputation."

"Yeah, and it's the only option I have."

"Oh, look, there she is. Gotta go. You working tomorrow?"

"Yeah, six nights a week."

"Ouch. Well, see you then, OK?"

Kyle decided to go in a bit earlier the following night, hoping to spend a little more time with Elsa. After taking care of the offices and restrooms, a job he hated the most, he was able to take a break. He wandered down to the Christmas Village where Elsa was reading a textbook.

"Studying?"

"Yeah, got a test next week so I decided to review it while I could."

"Care to take a break?"

"Yeah, please."

"Uh, I happen to have a key to the food court kitchen and can liberate a soda for you. Interested?"

"You won't get into trouble?"

"No, I'm allowed two drinks per shift and I'll let you have one of mine."

They sat there and talked more about themselves. Kyle mentioned his mother was Latina and father was apparently Anglo.

"That's where you get that gorgeous skin of yours. Looks like a wonderful tan."

"Thanks. I like your skin, too. It's so pale and goes with your hair and eyes perfectly."

"That's due to a lot of Scandinavian influence. My father's people were from northern Germany and apparently there's been a lot of, uh, cross-border 'communication' with the Scandinavians over the years."

-----

They talked for a bit longer and once the drinks were gone, they strolled down the empty corridor. Elsa found herself liking Kyle even though they'd just met and talked a few times. He was humble, smart and oh so good looking. She thought his skin color was super sexy. Even though she was nineteen and a senior, she had dated only a little, mainly because of her dad. Here was a nice guy who seemed to like her and though he was older, he seemed to enjoy being with her. After her hand 'accidentally' bumped into his, she reached for it and held his hand until they came to the door. Since her ride wasn't yet there, they sat on a bench and she took the opportunity to thank him for the drink and their time together.

"Thanks for the soda. You know, you're a nice guy. How come no one has snatched you up?"

"Uh, I guess 'cause I'm so busy. I work full time, go to school part time and help out at home. My mom does most of the household stuff but I hafta help a lot."

"Well, then I guess we'll have to call this our official 'first' date."

"Date?"

"Yeah. Date. You invited me, gave me a drink and entertained me. Yup. It's a date," she said as she leaned over and gently kissed his cheek. "Oops, there's my sister. Gotta go. See you tomorrow."

While driving Elsa home, her sister asked, "You sure are quiet this evening. How come?"

"No real reason. Just tired, I guess," she lied. She wasn't tired, she was dreaming of that nice guy she had met and how she wanted to spend more time with him.

-----

For the next several evenings they again spent time together while waiting for her ride. On each occasion he would offer her a soda and they would sit together talking and getting to know one another. On one evening she told him more about herself and her family. When she was little they spoke only German in the home and as a result she was held back a year in school and still had a slight German accent. It also turned out her family was quite wealthy as her father was a successful investment banker. Her mother worked parttime more to keep herself busy than out of true need. In spite of her exposure to money, Elsa seemed to be quite modest in her tastes and approach to life. Not once did she act superior around Kyle even though he was from a far poorer background. They would occasionally walk around the entire mall holding hands and talking. Kyle had to work extra late because of his long 'lunch breaks' but he enjoyed spending time with the attractive and vivacious Elsa.

-----

And the first time ever I kissed your mouth

I felt the earth move in my hand

Then there was the evening Elsa first kissed him on the lips. Her sister was late again as the two stood close together near the main door. She snuggled up close and even wrapped her arms around him.

"Thanks for the soda. You know, this means this was another date."

"I don't get it. We're just hanging out, talking, you know. How is this a date?"

"It's a date because I said so. So, there," she smiled up at him, "And after a certain number of dates, well, then a kiss can be a nice way to finish a date."

"A kiss?"

"Yeah, a real kiss, not just a kiss on the cheek."

With butterflies flipping in his stomach, Kyle looked down at her. She was quite petite but her smile was sexy and her arms around him felt sooo good. Slowly, very slowly, he brought his face down to hers. Right as their lips were to touch, he stopped and looked at her in the eyes. She smiled back at him, closed her eyes and pushed her lips towards him.

The kiss was sweet and tender. He couldn't believe how nice it felt to be kissing her, holding her in his arms. After the better part of a minute, they slowly broke apart and opened their eyes, looking at one another.

"Mmm, nice," she whispered.

"Yeah."

"Another?"

"Yeah."

In the middle of the second kiss, they heard a horn honking. Elsa broke away muttering about bad timing, looked at Kyle and thanked him for the nice time together before running to the door.

On the way back to his work, Kyle was on cloud nine. The kisses were so sweet and tender, way better than any he'd ever had before. His mind raced as he realized she must really like him. He couldn't wait until the next evening.

-----

The next night she was able to drive a car to the mall and didn't have to wait for a ride. Once she finished her elf work, she stayed at the Christmas Village doing some homework and waiting for Kyle. When he drove the floor scrubber by her, she smiled, closed her books and came down the little ramp to meet him.

"Guess what."

"What?"

"I've got a car tonight."

"And?"

"Our kisses won't be interrupted, that's what."

"But won't you have to go home sooner?"

"Nope. I told Mutti I'd do some homework before coming home and that's what I've been doing. Care to take your break early?"

"Sure. Let me do some stuff first and then I'll come get you."

Kyle set off to get his tasks done as quickly as possible. After a busy half-hour, he went back to meet up with Elsa.

"Hey, I'm ready for a break. You?"

"Sure," she replied as she put all her things in a big bag. She went to him and immediately reached up, demanding a kiss. She couldn't believe how nice it was. She had kissed guys before but usually they were sloppy, there was too much pressure or, worse yet, a tongue was shoved down her throat. Kyle was sweet and almost tentative in his response. He never pushed and seemed to appreciate exploring her lips with his. She was beyond ecstatic at how nice his kissing was.

"Mmm. You really know how to kiss. Must have had a lotta practice with those JC girls."

"Not much, actually. Kinda too busy for much dating."

"What kind of a load are you carrying?"

"About half a load, so it'll take me a total of four years to get my AA. I should finish it in June."

"And working full time also? Youare a busy guy.""

"Yeah, but I'd rather get back to kissing than keep talking."

After a few more minutes, they broke apart and wandered hand-in-hand down the darkened corridor towards the front door. There they kissed and hugged some more before she sighed and told him she had to leave. She appreciated how he stayed by the door making sure she was safely at her car before he turned back to his work.

Elsa drove home with her heart soaring. Kyle was such a nice guy and it was clear he liked her and yet respected her. He didn't try anything like some of the guys she had been with previously. And it was clear he was a hard worker and even though he didn't have much money, he was the kind of guy a girl could really enjoy spending time with. She could hardly wait until the next evening.

The next evening was similar with her studying after her shift and while waiting for him. They came together on his break with another round of warm hugs and sweet kisses. He invited her for another soda at the darkened food court. She sensed he seemed nervous about something.

"Everything OK, Kyle?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Everything's fine."

"You look a little nervous, that's all."

"Uh, maybe I am, a little."

"Why? I don't bite," she giggled, "Not hard, anyway."

"Uh, I know. Uh, look, Elsa, I like spending these breaks with you. Gives me something nice to look forward to. But, uh, I'd like to spend some more time, uh, with you, that is."

"OK?" she responded with her heart soaring."He wants to spend more time with me!" she sang to herself.

"Well, uh, would you like to go out with me? Maybe a movie or..."

She jumped up and leaned over the table giving him a big hug. "I'd love to go out with you. When is your next night off?"

"Uh, Saturday. Can you...?"

"Yes, Saturday's fine! How about we do something so we can talk more. A movie, well, we'd just sit there and, you know."

"Do you bowl?"

"No. Never have. But I think it's time I learn," she smiled.

"OK, give me your phone number and I'll call you with the details. OK?"

"Sure. I'm not an elf tomorrow so call me early evening. Oooh, this should be fun."

They walked to the door with his arm around her waist and her head leaning up against him. It felt so good to have his arm around her that she put hers around his waist and gave him a tiny side-hug. At the door they parted with another soft kiss and a promise of a call the next day.

-----

With his heart pounding double-time in his chest, Kyle dialed her number the next evening around six thirty."

"Hello?"

"Uh, my name's Kyle. May I please speak to Elsa?"

"I'll get her," came the response before the voice called out, "Hey, Weird Sister, some guy named Kyle's on the phone."

A few seconds later came the breathless response, "Yes?"

"Hi, Elsa. How you doing?"

"Fine, Kyle. My night just got a lot better."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you called." He could sense her smile through the phone.

"Uh, I'd like to invite you to go to Midtown Lanes Saturday evening. Maybe we could try a little bowling."

"That would be great. Let me clear it with my mom. Hang on."

Kyle waited anxiously for several minutes until Elsa came back on the line. "Yes, I can go. Uh, they'll want to meet you, of course. What time were you thinking?"

"Right after your dinner. When would that be?"

"We are usually done by six pm. Why don't you plan on getting here around a quarter after?"

"Sure. Great. Uh, will you be at the village tomorrow?"

"No, I won't. I've got exams and need to study. I guess I'll see you Saturday. Here's my address..."

As he hung up Kyle suddenly got nervous. She lived in the ritziest part of town. He knew her dad had money, but he had no idea they were so rich. Elsa never carried on like she was rich; she was never snobby or talked down to him. He decided to wash and wax his old beater, even though it was December, and he finished off with a nice vacuuming of the interior. He knew it was still an old car, but at least it ran and was paid for. As he was cleaning the mall the night before their date, Kyle's mind kept drifting to Elsa. He wanted her to have a good time and hoped she wouldn't get turned off by his car.

Saturday crept by for Kyle. He did a little studying for his last final scheduled for Monday but the class was fairly easy and he wasn't worried. Around midafternoon he told his mother of his plans for the date.

"Who is she?"

"She's Elsa and I met her at the mall. She's working as Santa's elf at the Christmas Village."

"Does she go to school?"

"Yeah. She's a senior at Wilson High."

"Kyle, that's pretty young."

"Mamá, she's nineteen and I'm twenty-two. What's wrong with that?"

"When you're older, well, three years is no big deal but, well, her parents may not be too excited to see you with their daughter."

"I'm gonna meet them when I go to pick her up and she told me she thought it'd be fine."

"Where does she live?"

"Willow Estates."

"Mierda! That's a rich man's area. Know that?"

"Yeah, but..."

"No buts. They're going to look at you and your car and throw you so far you'll never see her again. And I won't blame them. You've got no business hanging around with a rich girl."

"Mamá, she may be from a rich family, but you'd never know it. And she's nice, real nice, and doesn't talk down to me or anything."

"Well, you go on your date but don't go getting any ideas. She's rich and is probably playing with you until a better guy with money comes along. Where are you going, anyways?"

"I'm taking her bowling."