The letter “Paid sick leave” (Voice of the people, Dec. 16) brought to my mind once again that we live in a “we deserve” and “we’re entitled” society.
I worked as a painter for nearly 40 years, and I can honestly say that in all that time, on no more than two occasions did I receive a day’s pay without having worked for it, and then it was not because I deserved it; it was the generosity of my employer.
Never did I get a paid sick day or a paid holiday.
Toward the end of my career, I did get a week’s paid vacation, to which I contributed during the course of the year.
And guess what? We had no hospitalization until our seventh child was born, and I had to contribute to that also.
This is not meant to be a lamentation. Somehow my wife and I survived (with our nine children) these “dire” conditions.
