To the Cashier Who Left Me Absolutely Without Words – I Salute You
It was a Sunday morning, and I felt sufficiently irritable, filling up my mum’s car. The location was a common fuel stop that doubles as a convenience store, so you run the risk of ending up in line shoppers with carts of somewhat expensive items. It's an awful situation to unfold when all you want is to get gasoline and leave. Terrible.
My position was fourth in the queue. Just one employee working, a youthful clerk. There was something unusual in her demeanor. Once the slowpoke at the head of the line had finally paid for his Viakal, his sausage roll, and some breakfast items, I could have sworn that I heard the cashier tell him an excellent day. Unusual. Perhaps I’d misheard, or perhaps she spoke and meant it ironically. I pondered if she could even be a supporter in my fight against faff, sharing my contempt for those who delay simple fuel-buyers like me.
I moved up, now third in line. The next shopper of the queue discharged her fuel-only transaction with impressive quickness. And there it was again: “Have a wonderful day.” To be precise, it was “have a wonderful day”. An American? At this location? She had the accent, and few locals wishes anyone a wonderful day, or even just a nice day. Highly unusual. You don’t get many Americans frequenting this area, certainly not holding jobs in fueling spots or elsewhere.
Second in line at last. After an elderly lady dealing with a right old battle with her basket, her food items, her handbag and her rewards card. It went on for ever. After she finished, she too got told an excellent day. Clearly an American. I could have confirmed it by saying something hilarious at the cashier, to check for that response as they gaze at you, stoically, and state very earnestly: “That’s really funny.” However, nothing occurred of anything hilarious to utter.
In the end, I embraced the heartfelt tone – or a performance of it, that equates to no different – with which she looked directly into my eyes, piercingly, and bid me an awesome day. I felt better for it. It was a good thing.