The Old Janitor

2 The Old Janitor A young man named Lenny started working at a factory. He had just graduated from school and he was very proud of his job. There was a problem though. Lenny felt that his job was more important than the jobs of other factory workers. He was rude to the janitors, who he considered below him in status. He was especially hard on one old janitor. The old man didn't seem to do very much, and as far as Lenny was concerned, he did not contribute much to the factory. Late one night, when Lenny was still at work, he found the old janitor sleeping in a corner. He got mad and called him lazy and useless. The old man apologized and worked very hard the rest of the night. The next day, there was a big visit from the president of the company, a rich and powerful man. When the president arrived at the factory, everyone was a little nervous. The president talked to people and asked them about their work.

Lenny was standing right beside the old janitor. What happened next shocked Lenny. The president walked right up to the old janitor and put his arm around him. He said, “ Mr. Jensen is my oldest and most valued employee. When I first started this company 30 years ago, he worked as my janitor. Back then, I could hardly afford to pay him, so I gave him shares in the company. He doesn't need to work, but he likes to be here and we're glad to have him. Has everyone been treating you right?" the president asked. Lenny was sweating because he knew that the old janitor could have him fired in a second. The old janitor looked at Lenny and said, “ Everyone has been very nice, even when I am a little slow. " Everyone laughed. The president then said, “ That's good because every job in this factory is just as important as the rest. " The president was a wise man, and that day, Lenny learned a lesson that he would never forget: treat all people with respect.