Coming Rain

They returned to the main part of the shed and it was Lew's turn to sharpen his cutters. Thewoolshed now bright and well lit. Painter walked to his stand and connected the handpiece tothe down-rod. He drizzled oil over the comb and the cutter, adjusted the tension and pulled therope to engage the running gear. The handpiece buzzed and he studied it for a moment, pulledthe rope again to disengage the running gear. Repeated the process with his spare handpiece.Filled the oil can and stepped to the catching-pen door, leaned on it and looked at the sheep inthe pen. Lit a cigarette, waiting for Lew.
Western Australia, the wheatbelt. Lew McLeod has been travelling and working with PainterHayes since he was a boy. Shearing, charcoal burning-whatever comes. Painter made him hisfirst pair of shoes. It's a hard and uncertain life but it's the only one he knows.
But Lew's a grown man now. And with this latest job, shearing for John Drysdale and hisdaughter Clara, everything will change.
Stephen Daisley writes in lucid, rippling prose of how things work, and why; of the profoundsatisfaction in hard work done with care, of love and friendship and the damage that bothcontain.