Photo: House of Sims

The other day I went to a convenience store that seemed anything but.

Dash in, dash out.

That was the goal of everyone there. But our hopes for a quick getaway were dashed once we surveyed the length of the line. It was at least eight people deep, and moving at the pace of the DMV. Hey, this was a group of real go-getters for whom time was important... forced to wait in order to buy snacks or beer.

Restless folks lined half way down the candy aisle were craning their necks to see around the Snickers display. They were looking to find out the problem, which I had identified it right away. It was because there was only one cashier, which under ordinary circumstances wouldn't matter. But these were no ordinary circumstances. Confoundingly, she was being friendly and thorough.

"These energy drinks are two for $3 dollars. Do you want to get one more?" she asked the first guy in line.

"Uh-uh" he replied.

"Are you sure? It'll save you sixteen cents on two," she explained.

He shook his head.

"Okay, that'll be $2.26 total," she said after he'd already seen the register display and handed her a bill. "Do you have the twenty-six cents?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"If you have a penny, I'll give you quarters back...."

Each transaction went on like this. She went the extra mile to try and save everyone money, and do something to improve their day.

"That's a good photo," she told the next guy in line, after she'd found her glasses to better see his ID. "Now let's see... Marlboros.... Marlboros... Marlboros." she chanted while pacing the cigarette case. "No, I don't have any more up here... but I'll go check in the back."

"C'maaaaaaaaaaaaan!" came a voice from behind me. At least, that's what I think he said. He had a mouth full of Funyuns. A big bag of them and a 42oz soda were the items he was in a hurry to buy.

But the cashier was too focused on her current customer to engage...

"Well, I do have a pack of Marlboros right here," she told the man with the nice ID. "But you know, Winstons are on special. Buy one get one free."

"Oh C'maaan!" said the man with the Funyuns again. This time his tone more resigned.

I'll admit. I don't blame him. I was just before getting my ass up over my shoulders, myself. But this was turning into an interesting study in human nature, and I was busy trying to put my finger on why this would cause a fuss. It really wasn't taking that long in the grand scheme of time. And we should probably all be willing to wait for someone else to be sincerely wished a nice day. Still, there was something missing. Something other than a lack of awareness of the mood in a growing line...

"Wooooo, Honey," came a different voice from behind me. It was the woman behind Frustrated Funyuns. "Might as well get comfy, 'cause this line is slow as Christmas."

"This is ridiculous," muttered Frustrated Funyons. "C'maaaaaan!" he said again.

"Well, bless her [Pea Pickin'] heart," said the woman. "That girl's doin' the best she can."

This voice of reason had an accent — A familiar lilt its tone. I don't know how Mr. Funyun reacted to these words, but they did something to put me at ease. See, the woman not only spoke southern, a dialect you don't hear that much of in these parts. But more importantly, I realized, she was demonstrating the missing thing.

The cashier was sincerely friendly, which by itself was somehow exasperating. Devoted to one customer experience at a time, she heard the grumbling, but was playing defense by being extra nice. The thing she was missing that could have turned things around? She was completely and utterly lacking charm.

You certainly don't have to speak southern to be charming. In fact, you don't have to say anything at all. If this woman had once looked down the line with a smile that acknowledged the crowd, I betcha we'd have been charmed by her attention. Mr. Funyuns might well still be frustrated, but the charm offensive would have put him on defense. That's what the woman behind him in line did. After that exchange, he didn't say another word.