For the Cashier Who Made Me Totally Without Words – I Salute You

It was a weekend morning, and I found myself sufficiently irritable, refueling the family car. The location was a typical gas station that doubles as a supermarket, meaning there's a chance of joining a queue customers carrying goods of somewhat expensive items. A terrible fate to unfold when the sole aim is to complete a simple refueling. Terrible.

I was fourth in the queue. A single cashier operating, a female attendant. A peculiar quality to her presence. When the faffer at the first position had finally paid for his Viakal, his sausage roll, and some breakfast items, It seemed to me overhearing the cashier wish him to have a great day. Unusual. Perhaps I’d misheard, or maybe she did say it and used a mocking tone. I pondered if she might actually be a comrade in my fight against faff, sharing my contempt for those who delay straightforward customers like me.

Advancing next, now third in line. The new leader of our line discharged her fuel-only transaction with commendable speed. Once more it happened: “I hope you have a fantastic day.” In fact, it was “have a wonderful day”. A stateside native? In Stourbridge? The pronunciation indicated it, and few locals wishes anyone a wonderful day, or even just a nice day. Quite out of place. Rarely does one encounter people from America visiting this town, and definitely not employed at gas stations or anywhere else.

Second in line at last. Behind a poor older woman dealing with a lengthy struggle with her shopping cart, her groceries, her handbag and her membership pass. This took an eternity. After she finished, the woman also got told to have a fantastic day. Definitely from the US. I could have confirmed it by cracking a joke in her direction, to check for that thing as they gaze at you, without a smile, and state very earnestly: “You are very amusing.” But I couldn’t think of a jest to express.

In the end, I embraced the genuine warmth – or a performance of it, essentially the same as identical in effect – as she gazed me right in the eye, to my very core, and told me a wonderful day. It improved my mood. A positive experience.