For the Cashier Who Made Me Totally Wordless – I Salute You
This occurred on a weekend morning, and I felt sufficiently irritable, topping off the family car. The location was a common fuel stop that also functions as a convenience store, so you run the risk of waiting behind shoppers with carts of pricey provisions. It's an awful situation to occur when your only desire is to complete a simple refueling. Dreadful.
Fourth in line I stood in the queue. Just one employee working, a female attendant. Something stood out to her presence. Once the slowpoke at the head of the line had finally paid for a cleaning product, his sausage roll, and his box of eggs, I could have sworn overhearing the cashier bid him to have a great day. Strange. Perhaps I’d misheard, or possibly she uttered it and used a mocking tone. I pondered if perhaps she was a comrade in my fight against faff, echoing my disdain for those who delay people just getting gas like me.
Taking a step forward, to third in the queue. The next shopper of our group completed her gasoline purchase with notable efficiency. And there it was again: “Have a wonderful day.” No, actually, it was “may your day be absolutely splendid”. A stateside native? Here in Stourbridge? The pronunciation indicated it, and few locals tells people those exact words, or merely a pleasant day. Quite out of place. You don’t get many Americans knocking around Stourbridge, least of all employed at gas stations or other places.
Now I stood second. Behind a poor older woman embroiled in a lengthy struggle with her basket, her purchases, her purse and her membership pass. The process dragged on. When she was done, she as well was wished an excellent day. Yes, American for sure. I might have verified it by cracking a joke to her, to observe that reaction their typical stare, stoically, and state very earnestly: “That is quite humorous.” However, nothing occurred of a jest to say.
In the end, I embraced for the absolute sincerity – or a mimicry of sincerity, that equates to no different – while she stared me right in the eye, deep into my soul, and told me to have a great day. I felt better for it. A positive experience.
