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This occurred on a day of rest, and I felt sufficiently irritable, topping off the family car. It was one of those petrol stations that operates as a convenience store, meaning there's a chance of waiting behind shoppers with carts of somewhat expensive items. A terrible fate to happen when all you want is to get gasoline and leave. Awful.

My position was fourth in the queue. Just one employee working, a female attendant. A peculiar quality to her presence. When the faffer at the first position had finally paid for a cleaning product, his pastry, and a carton of eggs, It seemed to me I heard the cashier tell him a wonderful day. Strange. Perhaps I’d misheard, or perhaps she spoke and used a mocking tone. I wondered if she could even be a supporter in the war on delays, sharing my contempt for individuals slowing down people just getting gas such as myself.

I moved up, becoming the third customer. The next shopper of our line discharged her fuel-only transaction with notable efficiency. Again, the phrase came: “Wishing you a marvelous day.” To be precise, it was “have a wonderful day”. An American? In Stourbridge? The pronunciation indicated it, and no British person tells people those exact words, or simply a good day. Highly unusual. It's uncommon to find people from America knocking around Stourbridge, certainly not holding jobs in fueling spots or other places.

Second in line at last. Behind a poor older woman engaged in a lengthy struggle with her shopping cart, her food items, her wallet and her loyalty card. This took an eternity. After she finished, the woman also received the wish a wonderful day. Clearly an American. I could have confirmed it by cracking a joke at the cashier, to see if she did that reaction when they look at you, unsmilingly, and reply with genuine earnest: “You are very amusing.” But I couldn’t think of a jest to utter.

I just had to settle the genuine warmth – or an impersonation of it, that equates to the same thing – with which she looked directly into my eyes, to my very core, and wished me an awesome day. It improved my mood. Beneficial indeed.