It made me think about the first janitor I ever knew of, the one at Washington Elementary School in my hometown.
I believe his name was Mr. Carstensen, a kindly older gentleman who quietly went about his work around all those crazy kids. Of course to a kid older can mean 40 years of age, but I think he was older than that. We kids all liked him. He was nice!
At Christmas, the big thing was to "pass the hat" for the janitor. All the kids would bring their change in to give to Mr. Carstensen as a Christmas gift. To me it seemed like millions of dollars, but it was something like $90. I was so proud to be a part of giving him that money.
Since that time, I've been fortunate to work places where there were custodians who took pride in their jobs. Men and women who sometimes operated during the night, keeping the place habitable. Or they were there during the day, plying their trade efficiently in the background while the rest of us did what we do.
Hats off to you janitors of the world. I hope you get respect from everyone you work with - and an envelope full of cash
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