It’s gotten so commonplace that most people don’t give it a second thought. Go to a convenience store, CVS, McDonalds, you name it, make a purchase and most assuredly the pleasantry you’ll receive upon completing the transaction is “have a good one”.
Have a good what? A good day? Good evening? Good vasectomy? Have we gotten so lazy (sorry, economical for the PC crowd out there) with our words that saying “have a good day” is such a burden? Perhaps so.
Now before you go off on me as being a complete old fogy from the “sir” and “ma’am” school, here’s my frame of reference with the “have a good one” phrase. Back in my high school days about a quarter of a century ago, it was a common expression for guys to say to other guys. Believe me, it had nothing to do with wishing one’s comrades a pleasant day. Okay, maybe it did, for the good one actually referred to your next sexual conquest.
Basically, “have a good one” was “hope you enjoy your next tumble in the backseat with Betty Lou”–even if you knew darn well your buddy had a better shot at having an actual good day.
Fast forward to present day and you can imagine why I’m troubled when the senior/teen cashier at Stop and Shop tells to me to “have a good one”.
Okay, so maybe everybody doesn’t have locker room banter as a frame of reference. I can appreciate that. Yet in an age where having simple, cordial service is nearly impossible, you can’t go one visit to a store without even the most snotty service person telling you to “have a good one”.
Not that we all wouldn’t enjoy a good one, that’s really nobody else’s business. But wouldn’t it be nice if all you “have a good one” service people would just finish the sentence. Wishing people a good morning, afternoon or evening is always good form.
