Addressing the Cashier That Made Me Absolutely Without Words – My Hat's Off to You
This occurred on a day of rest, and I found myself grumpy enough, filling up my mother's vehicle. The location was one of those petrol stations that operates as a convenience store, meaning there's a chance of joining a queue people bearing baskets of slightly overpriced groceries. It's an awful situation to occur when all you want is to pay for some fuel. Dreadful.
My position was fourth in the queue. There was only person serving, a young woman. A peculiar quality to her presence. When the faffer at the first position had finally paid for his purchases, his sausage roll, and his box of eggs, I was certain I heard the cashier tell him an excellent day. Strange. Maybe it was a mistake, or maybe she did say it and used a mocking tone. I pondered if she might actually be an ally in the war on delays, echoing my disdain for those who delay people just getting gas like me.
Advancing next, now third in line. The person ahead of our group finished pumping gas with impressive quickness. And there it was again: “Have a wonderful day.” No, actually, it was “have a wonderful day”. Someone from the US? In Stourbridge? Her tone suggested it, and few locals says to others such a cheerful phrase, or even just a nice day. Highly unusual. You don’t get people from America frequenting this area, certainly not working in petrol stations or other places.
I was second now. After an elderly lady embroiled in a right old battle with her carryall, her purchases, her wallet and her membership pass. This took an eternity. After she finished, the woman also received the wish a wonderful day. Definitely from the US. I might have verified it by saying something hilarious at the cashier, to check for that thing when they look at you, stoically, and say with absolute sincerity: “You are very amusing.” But I couldn’t think of a jest to say.
In the end, I embraced for the absolute sincerity – or an impersonation of it, which amounts to no different – while she stared straight at me, piercingly, and wished me to have a great day. I felt better for it. It was a good thing.
