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This occurred on a Sunday morning, and I was sufficiently irritable, refueling my mother's vehicle. This was a common fuel stop that operates as a supermarket, which often leads of joining a queue customers carrying goods of slightly overpriced groceries. This is a dreadful thing to unfold when your only desire is to complete a simple refueling. Awful.

Fourth in line I stood in the queue. Just one employee working, a young woman. A peculiar quality in her demeanor. When the faffer at the front of the queue had finally paid for his Viakal, his pastry, and his box of eggs, I was certain I heard the cashier wish him a wonderful day. Odd. Perhaps I’d misheard, or maybe she did say it and used a mocking tone. I pondered if perhaps she was a comrade in the war on delays, sharing my contempt for people who hold up simple fuel-buyers including me.

Advancing next, becoming the third customer. The person ahead of the queue completed her gasoline purchase with commendable speed. And there it was again: “Wishing you a marvelous day.” To be precise, it was “have a wonderful day”. Someone from the US? In Stourbridge? She had the accent, and hardly anyone here says to others a wonderful day, or simply a good day. Very rare. Rarely does one encounter people from America visiting this town, least of all holding jobs in fueling spots or anywhere else.

Now I stood second. After an elderly lady embroiled in a right old battle with her basket, her purchases, her wallet and her membership pass. This took an eternity. Once completed, she as well received the wish a wonderful day. Yes, American for sure. Confirming it was possible by saying something hilarious in her direction, to check for that response their typical stare, without a smile, and reply with genuine earnest: “That’s really funny.” However, nothing occurred of a jest to say.

I just had to settle the genuine warmth – or a mimicry of sincerity, which amounts to identical in effect – while she stared directly into my eyes, to my very core, and wished me to have a great day. It improved my mood. Beneficial indeed.