Addressing the Checkout Assistant That Made Me Totally Without Words – My Hat's Off to You
This occurred on a day of rest, and I felt sufficiently irritable, refueling my mother's vehicle. This was a common fuel stop that also functions as a grocery store, meaning there's a chance of ending up in line people bearing baskets of pricey provisions. A terrible fate to occur when the sole aim is to pay for some fuel. Dreadful.
I was fourth in the queue. A single employee working, a youthful clerk. There was something unusual in her demeanor. When the faffer at the head of the line had completed payment for a cleaning product, his sausage roll, and some breakfast items, It seemed to me that I heard the cashier bid him an excellent day. Odd. Perhaps I’d misheard, or possibly she uttered it and was being sarcastic. I wondered if perhaps she was an ally in my battle with dithering, echoing my disdain for individuals slowing down simple fuel-buyers like me.
Taking a step forward, becoming the third customer. The new leader of our group finished pumping gas with notable efficiency. Once more it happened: “I hope you have a fantastic day.” To be precise, it was “enjoy a truly great day”. An American? In Stourbridge? Her tone suggested it, and hardly anyone here tells people those exact words, or simply a good day. Highly unusual. It's uncommon to find many Americans knocking around Stourbridge, certainly not working in petrol stations or elsewhere.
I was second now. Following a senior shopper dealing with a protracted effort with her carryall, her purchases, her wallet and her membership pass. The process dragged on. When she was done, she too was wished to have a fantastic day. Definitely from the US. I might have verified it by cracking a joke in her direction, to observe that thing as they gaze at you, unsmilingly, and state very earnestly: “That’s really funny.” Yet no idea came of a jest to say.
Ultimately, I accepted the genuine warmth – or an impersonation of it, that equates to the same thing – while she stared straight at me, deep into my soul, and bid me an awesome day. I felt better for it. A positive experience.
