"Have a good one."

I have a pet peeve. Actually I have several. But at the moment there is one that currently rests at the top of my list: "Have a good one." More often than not, this annoying phrase is said to me by a cashier at a check-out counter such as at a grocery or department store. Always, I want to stop, turn around and say, "Have a good what?" I want the person to be specific. Do you want me to have a good walk to my car? A good life? A good rest of the day? A good time flossing the next time I brush my teeth? Be specific. Of course, what I want to do and what I actually do are two different things. Usually, I nod and move on. But in those particular times of weakness, I might even respond by saying, "You, too." At that point, I become annoyed at myself for aiding and abetting the perpetuation of this empty phrase that is so vague as to be totally meaningless. At least that's how I see it.

I do not see myself as being a particular anal person, though I acknowledge that admitting my annoyance at "Have a good one" might make me sound like one. But I promise I am not. At least I do not think so. Nevertheless, where did "Have a good one" come from? How did "Have a good day," for example, ultimately turn into "Have a good one"? Who can I blame for that? Who can I hold accountable? My fear is the answer to that is everyone but no one. It may be just one more example of how our language has evolved. In this case, it has gone from precision to vagueness. Maybe most people are ok with that, but not me. I understand we can not all be definitive all the time. Sometimes situations call for foggy-type responses or statements. But why add to that when it is not necessary? I want to see people be more specific in their communiques; say what they mean. Don't be so non-committal. "Have a good day, damnit!" Now that is what I call a definitive statement.

Communication is all about connecting with others. How we make use of our language and the words that comprise defines not only us but the ties we seek to bind. For a linkage to be solid and lasting, it must be built with nails in solid wood, not spit and chewing gum. The former has a much better chance at enduring separation or hardship than the other. Think of it this way: if a person told us to "have a bad one," then wouldn't we immediately want to know "bad what?" My guess is most of us would want to know what that other person was talking about. I do not see why it should be any different with being told to "have a good one." When it comes to defending effective communication, that is as good a place in which to draw a line in the sand as any.