Richard Ortega

Re “His Uniform Was Only Half the Story,” Ventura County Life, March 2.

This column touched me. Here is a story about the life of a city street cleaner who, even with what was termed a menial job, had an impact on the whole city.

It saddens me to think that others looked at his job as menial. Good, honest, hard work should always bring respect to those who perform it. We should all respect people whose jobs are less than glamorous, especially if they do them well and have pride in their work.

Guys like Richard Ortega are an inspiration to us all. He certainly has my respect for a job well done, and he will be sorely missed downtown.

It is my hope that people who read this story will try to be a little more like Richard was and not only help people but show respect for others. People in our society today seem to be in too big a rush to take the time to show common courtesy.

PAT ROACH

Ventura