A funny/morbid relevant story for you.
back in 97/98 I was sent back inside to work Preload after the strike since there was not enough work for me to drive. Most days I would also help onthe afternoon Preload sort, which does not exist in our building anymore. Everyday this one driver who had an EAM route would be walking out at about 3:30-4:00. Once in a while I would yell down to him, "Hey Ed, you know I'm going to have your route one day." His response was the same every time. "I'm going to have to die first."
fast forward to late 2002.....I had a mall route that started out not so bad but over time magincally started to acquire more work and more work and more work. After a year of this and working till 9 p.m. everynight I told my center manager that if he didn't change my route and help me out, I was going to bid a route in teh other center. he pretty much blew me off.
So forward a few more months a bid goes up. the previously mentioned Ed, had passed away from cancer. A week after signing the bid it came down to me and i accepted since, as i told my center manager, the worst run in other center would be better than the abuse he was putting me through.
In the end, I was right. I did get Ed's route, but i don't walk out at 3:30. Funny thing though, when I bid the route it did 92 stops max. Now, 6 years later, it does 130 stops, but far less businesses than he used to do. and I would never go back to the other center. Never ever.