The juxtaposition of the commentary on waitstaff's minimum wage ("Waitstaff deserves a bigger slice," Sept. 13) and the letter from Michael Brown ("'Haves' worked for their reward," Sept. 13) was priceless. Apparently, the scurrying waiters and waitresses making $2.13 per hour are not working hard and do not deserve the good things in life.
Mr. Brown should spend one day doing their work, or that of a housemaid or a secretary or any of the many other underpaid workers who are losing the fight to remain in the middle class. Perhaps then he would learn that there are many ways to work hard, not all of them resulting in the good life that he apparently enjoys. These jobs may also not provide health care, pension plans or the other amenities I suspect he has.
People should think before they assume that because someone is not well-off and needs a little extra help, that he or she is not working hard.
Cynthia H. Miller
Menands
