Retiring after walking the same postal route for 30 years, Fred Shaw picked up something for himself on his last day - balloons, hugs and best wishes.

“Fred never missed a day, never missed a grin - and never stole my checks,” said Charlie Shapiro.

Lugging a 35-pound bag, Shaw had a 10-mile route that covered 220 homes on Route 19 in Woodland Hills. He is one of the few mail carriers in the nation to have kept the same route so long.

He even met his wife, Lisa, along the route. They now have a 16-year-old son, whom Shaw, 55, hopes to spend more time with, he said on his final day Friday.

Over the years, Shaw got to know the folks along his route intimately.

“The mail really does tell people’s stories,” he said.

When he delivered cards to just one spouse at the home of an elderly couple, he knew there had been a death in the family.

Letters from lawyers used to indicate a divorce, but that is not necessarily the case today.

“Seems like everyone gets letters from lawyers now,” he said.