We have all had an experience similar to the one I had yesterday. Carol wanted to go to Peoria last night to a quilt guild meeting. There were several ladies going and Carol thought she might have to drive. Her car was below a half tank so I offered to take it to Wataga and fill it with gasoline. Small town living in the Midwest is truly life at its finest. I pulled up and pushed buttons on the pump so I could pay inside after my purchase. Carol wanted a candy bar and I wanted a bottle of pop. The clerk inside was pleased to announce over the loudspeaker that pump 4 was ready. It seemed like a pointless gesture since I was the only customer at the time. Must have been one of their rules. I finished pumping gas and went in to make my other two purchases. Debit card processed receipt in hand I am ready to depart and head back for BFE. The young lady working the cash register then says: "Have a great day." She said it nicely and seemed sincere. Maybe I should have left it at that, but I could not. I'm tired of people I don't know and I am not friends with telling me what kind of day to have. It wasn't enough for her to say have a nice day. No, she had to go for the gold medal. Have a GREAT day. I stopped my walk toward the door and said as kindly as I could: "I really don't think I am capable of that at this point. Would it be okay if I just have an average day? Maybe shoot for adequate? You telling me to have a great day puts a lot of pressure on me. I'm just not willing to work that hard at it. I mean really it's after lunch and I've been slacking all morning. If it is going to be a great day I've got to really work at it now. Could we back that off to something less strenuous?" She agreed, while giving me that- you crazy old bastard look- and told me to have an average day. Since she doesn't know what average is for me I figured I could just leave and have any kind of day I wanted.
I am tired of people I don't know trying to tell me what kind of day to have. Shouldn't they say: "I hope you have a nice day."? I think that sounds less like a command and more like someone being kind and hoping your day goes well. I don't need sales clerks telling me what kind of day to have. It seems to have gotten out of control. It appears in some places the government is trying to tell citizens what kind of day to have. They have also added another requirement.
Now I have to smile too? When will it stop? Smile, say hello, have a nice day? Smile, pick up litter, say hello, have a nice day? Smile, pick up litter, say hello, hug a baby, carry packages for old ladies, open a door for someone, and have a nice day? Those things seem less sincerely done when I am ordered to do them. Can't I just do them and have whatever kind of day I want? So here is my response to your demand that I have a nice day.
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