They hand you a bag of hamburgers and fries with a smile.  

They are nameless faces doing a mostly thankless job.  

In a time when so many people don’t want to work, I want to say thank you to those who are willing to cook hamburgers, wait on tables, take orders at the drive-thru windows, wash dishes and dispose of trash. Those willing to serve as shippers of goods, those serving in customer service at businesses and those laboring in the hot sun fixing our streets and electricity, I salute you as well.  

You can’t drive more than a few yards down any street with businesses without seeing signs proclaiming, “we are hiring.” 

Last Saturday at a local chain restaurant I watched as basically one server was taking orders and delivering food and drinks to an entire dining room area. It was amazing to see how much energy she had for the job. But what impressed me the most was despite the demands she was dealing with she was able to deliver food with a smile. Her restaurant is one of those with a sign seeking help.  

The lack of people wanting to work has baffled me. I try to stay away from politics in this space, but I don’t know how people without jobs are surviving, especially with inflation raising prices on most products and services.  

Due to a lack of workers some businesses, mainly restaurants, have been forced to reduce the number of days they are open or to limit the hours they are able to be open.  

Hotels are resorting to the use of robots who can carry luggage, check in and check out guests, make room service deliveries and even serve as concierges. While it may cut down on the tips you have to dole out, it also eliminates personal contact with others.  

Not all jobs are pleasant. I have been lucky through most of my life to look forward to going to work each day.  

Many jobs are physically demanding. I worked four summers in the shipping room at the old Empire Pencil Company. Due to the increase in shipping of school supplies many young people, primarily college students, were hired to work in the shipping room as well as other parts of the factory. It was hot and often monotonous. The usual workday was 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. five days a week and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday.  

But the pay was good. It was considered to be a plumb job despite the demands. I wonder today how difficult it would be to fill those spots.  

Woody Allen, the comedian, writer and director, once said “80 percent of success in life is showing up”.  

Thank those who are showing up today. Now more than ever they deserve your kind words.