"A gracious offer. I cannot ensure the quality of my thumb," he said, holding up his exquisitely manicured hands, as if to say he'd never properly gardened in his life. The length and cleanness of his nails more than made that evident.

"Traveling afforded little time to grow my own stock after all."

But this might have been a temporary end to his days of meandering wherever his feet took him. The shard seemed to dole out a great deal of pain if he wandered too far, and that left him in an unusual position.

There was no sense, then, in not using his new found free time to learn a few tricks.

"Still, I will endeavor not to be too exasperating."