A Grand Young Man

On your place I "mentioned" (meaning I prattled ) my shearing.

The shearer couldn't get here until 3.30pm because he had to pick his son up from school. Oh no, I thought, that means he will bring him too. Now, I hate the modern child. They are too often ill-mannered, need to be seen and heard in huge dollops, tutu with things they shouldn't be, help themselves to food without asking - and then don't eat it[}], and I just wish most times that somebody had drowned them at birth - or that their parents had been drowned at birth because that's where the fault lies.

So this shearer arrives with his son in tow. He introduces his son who puts his hand out and shakes my hand. Then the shearer starts to set up his handpiece and realises that my machine has the old type ferral? (a word like that anyway) so sends the son out to the ute for his. The son comes back with it and a shifting spanner, unbolts the old one, inserts the new one and then lets his dad line it up. He then pops outside and starts putting sheep into the catching pen. That done, he comes back into the shed. I'm taking out the B&P's and crutchings so he stands there and waits. As soon as the fleece is off the back he's got it and into the bale it goes. And so it goes on. He filled the catching pen, kept moving the sheep up, picked up the fleece, took the broom and swept the board, whatever I wasn't doing, he did. At one part of it I asked him to fetch the can of spray paint to mark a ewe that is a scatty sod and she can go on the hooks. Before I knew it, he'd got the paint, dived under his father's arm and marked her head.

When we got back to the house for our beer, the conversation got around to Liver Fluke - he wanted to know what it looked like, how it got into an animal, would he find it in a paddock. When he got home his chores were to feed his pregnant sow, feed the chooks and feed the lamb.

From what I've said, how old would you think this young man is?

Cheers,
Ronnie

6, 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16, or an age between somewhere. []

I'll go for 8 []

Know what you mean Ronney about drowning some of the blighters at birth...I have several nephews and neices that I'm ashamed to be related to.

I'd say this kid was in the 10-12 range (I'd even go as young as .

Probably not 3. Hmmm, the age where a child would start to be capable of those things would be about 7, especially if he's been helping his dad with the shearing since he was a tot.

I'm going to chime in with 8 - 10 years old. They've not gotten the teenies gene activated yet, and are brimming with curiousity, and have the vocabulary developed enough to hold good conversations.

Diane

I've decided he's a teenager, or Ronnie wouldn't be so surprised. [] 15.

I'm picking 6

3:30 most high schools are just getting out, but that was the ETA, so out of school at 3:00 means 12 or less. 7 to 10 is my guess.

And its Ferrule,

Hi Ronney,

I was wondering how old the young lad was when I read your story only to reach the end to see you asking. I hope you'll enlighten us soon - my guess is 12.

8 or 9 ?

the other day I was talking to an interesting girl - she told me the breeding of her steers, how old they were and which one she thought would have the best steaks due to breeding and weight. She was 8, so guessing this one was around the same age.

So, when do we find out Ronney?

Whatever age, he sounds like a treasure.

Most kids can be motivated to do jobs - if they get rewarded. It's usually the parents who default - not delivering the reward and after this has happened to the kid once or twice they misbehave.

Yup I would say 7 or 8.

I was walking down the street yesterday and overheard two boys about 9-10 I would say.

1st boy: " Dont go in there thats a book shop ya @#$%...the library is where we have to go....."

Hmm I thought that cool...kids going to library to get their books...alas i was wrong..

1st Boy: " A library is where you play online games"
2nd boy: " Ah yeah i can do my beebo page there ay"

EEk I though a library was where we borrow books!