“Getting through to Elsa,” New Era, May 2015, 46
Getting through to Elsa
Blake C., Arizona, USA
Illustrations by Casey Nelson
My neighbor Elsa was intimidating. Still, I decided I should get to know her better. I thought, “There must be good in there somewhere,” and I decided mowing her lawn would be a good way to bring it out.
After only a couple of weeks of mowing, Elsa approached my mom. She accused me of trying to kill her grass and told me to stop mowing. I couldn’t understand! I was trying to do something good for her, but she didn’t like it.
I went about a month without mowing. One day, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I was convinced she’d like her lawn to be cut, whether she knew it yet or not.
I worked quickly, making sure not to cut the grass too short, and never to make a divot. I was getting near the end when I heard her door slam. I wanted to run, but I held my ground. And then I saw her walking toward me.
She was carrying a small box of chocolates! “Here,” she said in a thick accent. “You take chocolates.”
After that Elsa and I became friends. She told me stories from her childhood in Germany, and I really enjoyed talking to her.
Because we became friends, I realized she wasn’t scary at all but was a very kindhearted lady. All it took was a little bit of service.