To the Checkout Assistant Who Made Me Completely Without Words – My Hat's Off to You

It was a Sunday morning, and I found myself sufficiently irritable, refueling my mum’s car. The location was one of those petrol stations that operates as a grocery store, which often leads of joining a queue customers carrying goods of pricey provisions. This is a dreadful thing to occur when all you want is to pay for some fuel. Awful.

I was fourth in the queue. Just one person serving, a youthful clerk. There was something unusual about her. Once the slowpoke at the front of the queue had finally paid for his purchases, his sausage roll, and some breakfast items, I was certain that I heard the cashier tell him a wonderful day. Unusual. Perhaps I’d misheard, or maybe she did say it and was being sarcastic. I wondered if perhaps she was a supporter in my fight against faff, reflecting my irritation for people who hold up simple fuel-buyers such as myself.

Advancing next, becoming the third customer. The next shopper of the queue finished pumping gas with notable efficiency. And there it was again: “I hope you have a fantastic day.” No, actually, it was “enjoy a truly great day”. Someone from the US? In Stourbridge? The pronunciation indicated it, and few locals tells people such a cheerful phrase, or even just a nice day. Very rare. Rarely does one encounter US citizens knocking around Stourbridge, certainly not working in petrol stations or anywhere else.

I was second now. After an elderly lady dealing with a lengthy struggle with her basket, her purchases, her purse and her loyalty card. It went on for ever. When she was done, the woman also received the wish to have a fantastic day. Clearly an American. I might have verified it by saying something hilarious in her direction, to see if she did that reaction as they gaze at you, unsmilingly, and say with absolute sincerity: “That is quite humorous.” Yet no idea came of a jest to utter.

In the end, I embraced the heartfelt tone – or an impersonation of it, which amounts to no different – with which she looked straight at me, to my very core, and told me an awesome day. My spirits lifted. It was a good thing.