Cashier.exe Has Stopped Pretending

I’m just finishing up with a customer at my checkout.

Me: “Okay, there’s your change. Thanks for shopping with us today, and see you again soon.”

The customer leaves, and my manager wanders over.

Manager: “We need to talk about your checkout script.”

Me: “I followed the script to the letter.”

Manager: “Exactly. I watched you serve the last three customers, and it’s like listening to a mindless robot.”

Me: “Yeah, that’s what you get when you have to read a corporate-mandated script word for word.”

Manager: “It’s not the script, it’s your attitude. You don’t sound like you’re happy to be here. You’ve got to stop acting like you’re just here to get paid and can’t wait to go home.”

Me: “Then mission accomplished, as I can assure you, it’s not acting.”

My manager stares at me for a moment, sighs, and wanders back whence he came. I will be here on time, and I will serve customers and make them feel welcome, but what I won’t do is pretend I’d rather be here instead of anywhere else.