🔗 Share this article

It was a Sunday morning, and I found myself grumpy enough, refueling my mother's vehicle. The location was a typical gas station that also functions as a grocery store, which often leads of joining a queue shoppers with carts of somewhat expensive items. It's an awful situation to happen when your only desire is to get gasoline and leave. Dreadful.

I was fourth in the queue. Just one person serving, a female attendant. Something stood out to her presence. After the ditherer at the head of the line had finally paid for his Viakal, his pastry, and a carton of eggs, I could have sworn that I heard the cashier wish him to have a great day. Unusual. Perhaps I’d misheard, or possibly she uttered it and used a mocking tone. I wondered if perhaps she was a comrade in my fight against faff, echoing my disdain for individuals slowing down people just getting gas like me.

Advancing next, becoming the third customer. The person ahead of our line discharged her fuel-only transaction with notable efficiency. 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 few locals says to others those exact words, or merely a pleasant day. Very rare. You don’t get US citizens frequenting this area, and definitely not employed at gas stations or elsewhere.

Second in line at last. After an elderly lady engaged in a right old battle with her shopping cart, her groceries, her wallet and her rewards card. The process dragged on. When she was done, the woman also got told an excellent day. Clearly an American. Confirming it was possible by making a witty remark in her direction, to see if she did that reaction as they gaze at you, stoically, and reply with genuine earnest: “That is quite humorous.” Yet no idea came of a jest to express.

I just had to settle the genuine warmth – or a mimicry of sincerity, which amounts to the same thing – while she stared me right in the eye, piercingly, and bid me a wonderful day. I felt better for it. A positive experience.