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This occurred on a Sunday morning, and I felt grumpy enough, refueling the family car. This was one of those petrol stations that operates as a convenience store, so you run the risk of joining a queue customers carrying goods of pricey provisions. This is a dreadful thing to unfold when the sole aim is to get gasoline and leave. Dreadful.

Fourth in line I stood in the queue. Just one employee working, a young woman. Something stood out to her presence. Once the slowpoke at the front of the queue had completed payment for his Viakal, his pastry, and his box of eggs, I could have sworn I heard the cashier wish him a wonderful day. Strange. Maybe it was a mistake, or possibly she uttered it and used a mocking tone. I pondered if she could even be an ally in my battle with dithering, echoing my disdain for individuals slowing down people just getting gas such as myself.

Advancing next, now third in line. The next shopper of our group finished pumping gas with commendable speed. And there it was again: “Wishing you a marvelous day.” To be precise, it was “have a wonderful day”. An American? In Stourbridge? She had the accent, and few locals says to others those exact words, or merely a pleasant day. Quite out of place. You don’t get people from America knocking around Stourbridge, and definitely not holding jobs in fueling spots or elsewhere.

I was second now. Behind a poor older woman embroiled in a right old battle with her basket, her purchases, her wallet and her loyalty card. The process dragged on. Once completed, she too got told to have a fantastic day. Clearly an American. I might have verified it by making a witty remark to her, to see if she did that thing when they look at you, without a smile, and say with absolute sincerity: “That’s really funny.” However, nothing occurred of a jest to utter.

In the end, I embraced the heartfelt tone – or an impersonation of it, which amounts to the same thing – with which she looked me right in the eye, deep into my soul, and told me a wonderful day. It improved my mood. It was a good thing.