No matter how often I see Fred work, I can’t figure out how he shears, nor could I ever do it. He holds the sheep still and efficiently, and trims up their backs and over their heads, blankets of wood spreading out around him. He didn’t even nick a single sheep once, despite their squirming and struggling sometimes. He said his back has never caused him trouble – mine was destroyed from this afternoon – and he claims that people who own sheep are generally nice people, thus a pleasure to visit.