Addressing the Store Clerk Who Left Me Completely Wordless – I Salute You

It was a weekend morning, and I felt in a foul mood, filling up my mother's vehicle. This was one of those petrol stations that also functions as a convenience store, which often leads of ending up in line people bearing baskets of slightly overpriced groceries. It's an awful situation to happen when the sole aim is to get gasoline and leave. Terrible.

I was fourth among those waiting. Just one cashier operating, a young woman. A peculiar quality about her. After the ditherer at the first position had finally paid for his Viakal, his pastry, and his box of eggs, It seemed to me that I heard the cashier bid him to have a great day. Strange. Maybe it was a mistake, or possibly she uttered it and used a mocking tone. I pondered if perhaps she was a supporter in my battle with dithering, sharing my contempt for those who delay simple fuel-buyers like me.

Taking a step forward, now third in line. The new leader of the queue finished pumping gas with impressive quickness. And there it was again: “Wishing you a marvelous day.” To be precise, it was “may your day be absolutely splendid”. Someone from the US? At this location? She had the accent, and no British person tells people such a cheerful phrase, or even just a nice day. Highly unusual. You don’t get people from America visiting this town, and definitely not holding jobs in fueling spots or elsewhere.

I was second now. Behind a poor older woman engaged in a right old battle with her basket, her groceries, her wallet and her rewards card. It went on for ever. Once completed, she too got told an excellent day. Definitely from the US. I might have verified it by cracking a joke in her direction, to check for that response their typical stare, unsmilingly, and reply with genuine earnest: “That is quite humorous.” Yet no idea came of a jest to say.

In the end, I embraced for the absolute sincerity – or a performance of it, which amounts to identical in effect – with which she looked me right in the eye, piercingly, and told me to have a great day. I felt better for it. It was a good thing.