Addressing the Cashier Who Made Me Totally Without Words – Kudos to You

The scene was a day of rest, and I was in a foul mood, refueling my mother's vehicle. It was one of those petrol stations that operates as a supermarket, so you run the risk of ending up in line shoppers with carts of slightly overpriced groceries. A terrible fate to happen when all you want is to complete a simple refueling. Dreadful.

I was fourth in the queue. A single person serving, a young woman. There was something unusual to her presence. When the faffer at the front of the queue had at last settled for a cleaning product, a baked snack, and a carton of eggs, I was certain I heard the cashier tell him an excellent day. Strange. Perhaps I’d misheard, or maybe she did say it and used a mocking tone. I wondered if she might actually be a supporter in my fight against faff, sharing my contempt for individuals slowing down simple fuel-buyers like me.

Taking a step forward, to third in the queue. The next shopper of our line discharged her fuel-only transaction with impressive quickness. Once more it happened: “Have a wonderful day.” In fact, it was “may your day be absolutely splendid”. An American? In Stourbridge? The pronunciation indicated it, and few locals tells people such a cheerful phrase, or simply a good day. Highly unusual. Rarely does one encounter many Americans frequenting this area, least of all employed at gas stations or elsewhere.

Second in line at last. Following a senior shopper embroiled in a right old battle with her shopping cart, her food items, her purse and her membership pass. The process dragged on. After she finished, she too received the wish an excellent day. Clearly an American. I could have confirmed it by making a witty remark to her, to check for that response as they gaze at you, stoically, and say with absolute sincerity: “That is quite humorous.” Yet no idea came of anything hilarious to utter.

Ultimately, I accepted the heartfelt tone – or an impersonation of it, that equates to the same thing – as she gazed directly into my eyes, to my very core, and wished me an awesome day. My spirits lifted. A positive experience.