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This occurred on a Sunday morning, and I felt sufficiently irritable, topping off my mother's vehicle. It was one of those petrol stations that operates as a convenience store, meaning there's a chance of joining a queue customers carrying goods of pricey provisions. A terrible fate to happen when the sole aim is to complete a simple refueling. Awful.

I was fourth among those waiting. Just one employee working, a female attendant. There was something unusual to her presence. After the ditherer at the front of the queue had at last settled for his purchases, a baked snack, and his box of eggs, I was certain that I heard the cashier tell him an excellent day. Strange. Could be I misunderstood, or possibly she uttered it and meant it ironically. The thought crossed my mind if she might actually be an ally in my fight against faff, sharing my contempt for people who hold up straightforward customers including me.

Taking a step forward, becoming the third customer. The next shopper of our group discharged her fuel-only transaction with impressive quickness. Once more it happened: “Wishing you a marvelous day.” In fact, it was “enjoy a truly great day”. Someone from the US? At this location? She had the accent, and no British person tells people such a cheerful phrase, or even just a nice day. Quite out of place. It's uncommon to find many Americans frequenting this area, certainly not holding jobs in fueling spots or other places.

Now I stood second. After an elderly lady embroiled in a right old battle with her carryall, her food items, her purse and her loyalty card. This took an eternity. When she was done, the woman also was wished a wonderful day. Clearly an American. I might have verified it by making a witty remark in her direction, to observe that reaction when they look at you, unsmilingly, and state very earnestly: “That is quite humorous.” But I couldn’t think of a funny comment to say.

I just had to settle for the absolute sincerity – or an impersonation of it, essentially the same as no different – while she stared me right in the eye, piercingly, and told me to have a great day. My spirits lifted. It was a good thing.