🔗 Share this article

The scene was a Sunday morning, and I felt grumpy enough, filling up the family car. It was a typical gas station that doubles as a supermarket, which often leads of ending up in line shoppers with carts of somewhat expensive items. This is a dreadful thing to occur when the sole aim is to pay for some fuel. Awful.

My position was fourth among those waiting. Just one person serving, a female attendant. There was something unusual to her presence. When the faffer at the head of the line had at last settled for his purchases, his sausage roll, and his box of eggs, I could have sworn overhearing the cashier tell him a wonderful day. Unusual. Perhaps I’d misheard, or possibly she uttered it and used a mocking tone. I pondered if perhaps she was a supporter in the war on delays, echoing my disdain for people who hold up people just getting gas like me.

Taking a step forward, becoming the third customer. The next shopper of the queue completed her gasoline purchase with impressive quickness. Again, the phrase came: “Have a wonderful day.” To be precise, it was “enjoy a truly great day”. Someone from the US? In Stourbridge? Her tone suggested it, and no British person tells people those exact words, or simply a good day. Highly unusual. It's uncommon to find US citizens visiting this town, least of all employed at gas stations or elsewhere.

I was second now. After an elderly lady dealing with a right old battle with her shopping cart, her purchases, her handbag and her membership pass. The process dragged on. Once completed, she too received the wish a wonderful day. Definitely from the US. Confirming it was possible by cracking a joke to her, to check for that reaction their typical stare, without a smile, and state very earnestly: “That’s really funny.” However, nothing occurred of a jest to utter.

In the end, I embraced the genuine warmth – or an impersonation of it, essentially the same as identical in effect – with which she looked me right in the eye, piercingly, and bid me an awesome day. My spirits lifted. A positive experience.