Chapter 15: ShearingLate May 1972
Laurie was the quickest shearer they had, usually. Not this year though.
“You coming up, then?” Paul Rider, the youngest of the farmhands asked him, chucking his leather bike jacket on the back of a chair and pinching a piece of toast off Laurie’s plate. He was on his way to get a mug of tea from the pot on the range.
“Wasn’t going to,” Laurie replied. “I’ll only be in the way.” He shoved the sugar across the table toward Paul as he poured his mug of tea. The men usually came in for a cup before they started work, a sort of unofficial briefing.
“You should come on up,” the other man said. “I know you’re probably cross as hell you can’t be on the shears, but they’re your sheep. You’re still in charge of the team.”
Laurie looked at him. Paul was unconce
