Addressing the Store Clerk That Made Me Absolutely Without Words – Kudos to You
It was a day of rest, and I felt grumpy enough, filling up my mum’s car. It was one of those petrol stations that operates as a grocery store, so you run the risk of waiting behind people bearing baskets of slightly overpriced groceries. It's an awful situation to unfold when your only desire is to pay for some fuel. Dreadful.
Fourth in line I stood in the queue. A single employee working, a young woman. Something stood out about her. When the faffer at the first position had completed payment for his Viakal, his sausage roll, and a carton of eggs, I could have sworn overhearing the cashier wish him to have a great day. Strange. Maybe it was a mistake, or perhaps she spoke and used a mocking tone. I wondered if she could even be an ally in my fight against faff, sharing my contempt for those who delay straightforward customers such as myself.
I moved up, to third in the queue. The person ahead of the queue finished pumping gas with commendable speed. And there it was again: “I hope you have a fantastic day.” In fact, it was “enjoy a truly great day”. An American? At this location? She had the accent, and no British person tells people those exact words, or merely a pleasant day. Quite out of place. It's uncommon to find US citizens knocking around Stourbridge, certainly not working in petrol stations or other places.
Now I stood second. After an elderly lady engaged in a lengthy struggle with her shopping cart, her groceries, her purse and her membership pass. This took an eternity. After she finished, she too got told to have a fantastic day. Clearly an American. Confirming it was possible by making a witty remark at the cashier, to check for that thing their typical stare, stoically, and state very earnestly: “You are very amusing.” Yet no idea came of a funny comment to express.
In the end, I embraced the heartfelt tone – or a mimicry of sincerity, which amounts to no different – as she gazed straight at me, deep into my soul, and wished me a wonderful day. I felt better for it. Beneficial indeed.
