🔗 Share this article To the Checkout Assistant That Left Me Completely Speechless – My Hat's Off to You This occurred on a day of rest, and I found myself in a foul mood, filling up my mum’s car. It was a typical gas station that operates as a grocery store, meaning there's a chance of waiting behind people bearing baskets of somewhat expensive items. This is a dreadful thing to happen when all you want is to get gasoline and leave. Terrible. My position was fourth in the waiting line. There was only employee working, a female attendant. A peculiar quality to her presence. Once the slowpoke at the front of the queue had completed payment for his purchases, his sausage roll, and some breakfast items, I was certain that I heard the cashier tell him an excellent day. Unusual. Perhaps I’d misheard, or possibly she uttered it and used a mocking tone. I wondered if perhaps she was a supporter in my fight against faff, sharing my contempt for individuals slowing down simple fuel-buyers including me. I moved up, to third in the queue. The person ahead of our group completed her gasoline purchase with impressive quickness. And there it was again: “Have a wonderful day.” No, actually, it was “have a wonderful day”. A stateside native? Here in Stourbridge? She had the accent, and few locals tells people a wonderful day, or simply a good day. Highly unusual. You don’t get US citizens frequenting this area, least of all working in petrol stations or elsewhere. I was second now. Following a senior shopper dealing with a right old battle with her shopping cart, her groceries, her handbag and her loyalty card. It went on for ever. After she finished, she too got told a wonderful day. Definitely from the US. Confirming it was possible by making a witty remark to her, to check for that thing when they look at you, stoically, and reply with genuine earnest: “You are very amusing.” But I couldn’t think of a funny comment to express. I just had to settle for the absolute sincerity – or an impersonation of it, which amounts to identical in effect – with which she looked me right in the eye, to my very core, and wished me to have a great day. My spirits lifted. It was a good thing.