As soon as I had finished my finals, I got home from my junior year at college for Christmas Break and was looking for a part-time job. I arrived at the mall early on a Tuesday morning and went from store to store looking for anything that might be available. Finally I went to the mall management office and tried there. A cute little Asian receptionist had just explained that there were no openings, and I was doing my best to flirt with her as I leaned across the counter, when a gray-haired woman in a dark green business suit burst into the office. She ignored me, moving me aside, and started talking to the receptionist. She also got in the way of me seeing down the top of the receptionist’s beautiful green Christmas dress.
“Rachel, we have to find another Santa immediately. Mr. Olson has been hospitalized and won’t be able to come in anymore. He apparently slipped and fell and broke his hip. Get busy on the phone to every employment agency and find us a Santa. NOW!”
Rachel replied, “Yes, Mrs. Shattuck. Right away.” She picked up the phone and began going through a Rolo-dex for some numbers.
I don’t know why I did it, but I really needed a job. I used my best deep-voiced baritone Santa imitation and bellowed, “Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas.”
The lady in the suit, Mrs. Shattuck, spun around and looked at me, as if noticing me for the first time. She looked around me to see if there was anyone else in the room. There was not. She looked up at me and said, “Do that again, young man.” I did.
Mrs. Shattuck began studying me closely. She looked at me over her glasses and through them. She studied my face carefully. I was far too tall at six foot three, and too thin at 195 pounds. On the other hand I have very light blonde hair, and a matching beard and mustache, and blue eyes. Her gaze left my face and she scanned me from head to toe and side to side as I smiled down at her. Gradually a smile appeared on her face. “Young man, do you really think you want the job? You’d work 10 hours a day from now until Christmas Eve. Little kids will climb all over you and you have to stay happy and cheerful the whole time. Can you do that.”
“Yes, ma’am, I am sure I can,” I smiled down at the little woman. “I’m in my third year of college and plan to be a teacher when I graduate. I enjoy kids.” Well, it was mostly true. I did plan to teach, but high school Spanish, French, or German, and not little kids.
Mrs. Shattuck spun around and said, “Rachel, cancel those calls. We have a Santa. I will take care of the paperwork. You call the Shady Lady Salon and tell them we need them to do some work to change blonde hair to white and add an extension to a beard. Anything they can do to hide his age will help, too. Then call the costume shop and tell them we need their best Santa suit in a…,” she paused and looked me up and down, “44 long with lots of proper padding.”
Rachel went right to work and Mrs. Shattuck motioned me into her office where we filled out the paperwork and she learned I was 21 years old, and that my name is Lars Jorgenson. She hustled through the work and then stood. “OK, Lars, you need to go down to the Shady Lady across from Sears. They are going to work on your hair and makeup.” I cringed a little. “Polly or Heidi from the costume shop will come over there with a suit and get you into it and ready to greet your public. You start work in 2 hours in the central commons of the mall. Good luck and welcome aboard.” She shook my hand, then sat down and started some other paperwork.
I exited out to the receptionist and Rachel grinned at me. “Glad we could help you find some work. I hope you enjoy it.” She had a beautiful smile.
“Well, when you get off work, come by and sit on my lap and tell me what you want for Christmas,” I said as I smiled down at her and winked.
Rachel rolled her eyes and said, “You need to get over to the Shady Lady and get yourself changed into an old geezer. See you later.”
I smiled and headed out the door.