To the editor:

This is in response to the Thursday article about Lawrence residents and the minimum wage. I am a counter girl at Rudy’s and I have been for almost three years. Rudy’s is a wonderful place to work and I do in fact get paid well above the minimum wage now and what it will soon be.

As an employee of Rudy’s, I feel that I, as well as over half the staff, was not represented in the article. Before printing an article, the facts should be straight and there should be fair representation of everyone that works there. I have always been grateful for what my employer pays me. I’m not a millionaire, but I’m doing OK. The perks go far beyond mere salary: He does not make us wear uniforms, we get free pizza when we’re on the clock, he is always flexible on holidays and vacations, and to boot he takes us to Worlds Of Fun every year. Who wouldn’t want to work at a place like Rudy’s?

I guess what makes this article so disheartening for me is that it attacks a local business. This year the Casbah, the Olive Gallery, Black-Eyed Susan’s and several more have fallen down. Why didn’t the reporter interview Pizza Hut or Abercrombie? Rudy’s and downtown Lawrence deserve better than that. I have an excellent boss and I work at a wonderful place. I wanted to set it straight to the Journal-World, Mr. Kealing and the Lawrence community.

Lauren Arnold, and five other Rudy’s counter girls,

Lawrence