In appreciation of the people who work hard.
The first job I had that involved a paycheck and time clock was at the Holiday Inn in Vineland.
I started in housekeeping, which involved a lot of vacuuming, trash emptying and window cleaning. The motel had a bar/nightclub, which was quite popular on Friday and Saturday nights. And, I was charged with cleaning up assorted messes left by folks after their night on the town.
MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey
The bathrooms in the nightclub were, well, let's just say "interesting." The aftereffects of a night out could be found in and around the commodes, sinks and stalls. Lipstick messages, I found, were particularly difficult to clean off a mirror, especially when the chief housekeeper was expecting squeaky clean. And, the chief housekeeper always demanded squeaky clean bathroom facilities. Oh, and back then, we weren't issued protective gloves or facemasks.
I must say that that job was a valuable one. I gained a weekly paycheck, yes, but more importantly, I gained an appreciation for the people who work hard to make sure places we visit are clean and well-maintained.
Here's a gallery of working people in New Jersey, with a particular shout-out to those folks who have to work when everyone else is relaxing. And here are some more galleries of people at work in New Jersey from the past.
Vintage photos of jobs and workers in N.J.
Vintage photos of working people in N.J.
Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.