You say it, but do you really mean it?

I had Krystal for lunch. As a non-native southerner, Krystal does not rank on my Top 5 fast-food dining experiences list, but I wanted something with chili, and the nearest Hardee's to me is staffed by incompetents and all-around rude people (like the manager who yelled at me for trying to use an internet coupon). So I don't go there anymore.

Anyway.

So, I went to the drive-thru at Krystal (MetroCenter, should anybody be curious), and as I approached the window, my bag of food was hanging out the window, while being hung on to by a seemingly disembodied arm. I carefully drove up, having to swerve out of the way a bit to not hit the hand holding onto my food with my rear-view mirror, and accepted my food and a "have a nice day" from the owner of the arm that was previously suspected as being disembodied.

I appreciated the sentiment, because I do wish to have a nice day, and it makes me feel aas if I am somehow connected to my fellow humans when we wish for the same things. And then I was struck by a thought: he didn't give me my drink.

So I said to him, "I didn't get my drink." While he didn't take this news badly, necessarily, he certainly didn't take any responsibility for his oversight. "Medium diet Coke, right?" he offered. "Yup, that's it," I responded.

And he got me my drink and handed it to me, without saying another word. No "sorry about that," no repeat of the "have a nice day" wish, no "thank you." His handing over my beverage to me signaled the end of our relationship.

I wonder now if he really wanted me to have a nice day, or if he just said that to me because he had to. And where is it that our all-to-brief relationship became so dysfunctional? Were my expectations too high? Did he harbor secret resentments toward me? Was I too needy? Was he too distant? Was there just a lack of communication on both of our parts?

Heaven knows, but, Guy at the MetroCenter Krystal Drive-Thru: I truly wish for you a nice day.