🔗 Share this article To the Checkout Assistant That Made Me Completely Without Words – My Hat's Off to You It was a day of rest, and I felt sufficiently irritable, topping off the family car. The location was one of those petrol stations that doubles as a convenience store, which often leads of joining a queue shoppers with carts of slightly overpriced groceries. This is a dreadful thing to happen when the sole aim is to complete a simple refueling. Dreadful. My position was fourth in the queue. There was only employee working, a youthful clerk. There was something unusual in her demeanor. After the ditherer at the head of the line had finally paid for his purchases, his sausage roll, and some breakfast items, I was certain that I heard the cashier bid him to have a great day. Unusual. Perhaps I’d misheard, or perhaps she spoke and meant it ironically. The thought crossed my mind if she might actually be a comrade in my fight against faff, echoing my disdain for those who delay straightforward customers such as myself. Advancing next, now third in line. The person ahead of our group completed her gasoline purchase with notable efficiency. Once more it happened: “Have a wonderful day.” To be precise, it was “may your day be absolutely splendid”. Someone from the US? Here in Stourbridge? The pronunciation indicated it, and few locals tells people those exact words, or even just a nice day. Highly unusual. You don’t get US citizens visiting this town, certainly not holding jobs in fueling spots or anywhere else. Second in line at last. Behind a poor older woman embroiled in a right old battle with her shopping cart, her groceries, her purse and her membership pass. This took an eternity. When she was done, she as well got told a wonderful day. Clearly an American. I could have confirmed it by saying something hilarious to her, to see if she did that thing their typical stare, unsmilingly, and reply with genuine earnest: “That is quite humorous.” However, nothing occurred of a funny comment to express. I just had to settle the heartfelt tone – or an impersonation of it, that equates to no different – with which she looked straight at me, deep into my soul, and told me a wonderful day. I felt better for it. A positive experience.