The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander Mccall Smith

Author:Alexander Mccall Smith [Smith, Alexander Mccall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Adult
ISBN: 9780307908148
Amazon: B00CQZ5NZO
Goodreads: 17910703
Publisher: Pantheon
Published: 2013-11-05T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

ALL MEN CAN BENEFIT

THERE HAD BEEN PERIODS—sometimes rather long ones—in Mma Ramotswe’s life, as in the lives of most of us, when nothing very much had happened. There had, for instance, been the period shortly after the foundation of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency when there had been a marked paucity of clients—there had been none, in fact—and she and Mma Makutsi had spent long days trying to find tasks to do without giving the appearance of having no real work. It had been easier, perhaps, for Mma Makutsi, as she had been able first to invent and then to refine an elaborate filing system that, she claimed, catered for all possible eventualities. Thus there was an entry in this system entitled MEN, which at one level below was subdivided into FAITHFUL MEN and UNFAITHFUL MEN. Matters relating to men could also be filed under such disparate headings as: DISHONEST MEN, GENERAL MEN, and UNKNOWN MEN. Then there were files for CLIENTS WHO HAVE NOT PAID THEIR BILLS—rather a larger file than Mma Ramotswe would have liked—and for CLIENTS WHO MIGHT NOT PAY THEIR BILLS. The judgement on whether or not a client was likely to pay the bill was one made entirely by Mma Makutsi—on criteria that Mma Ramotswe had tried unsuccessfully to get her to clarify.

“It is not only done on the way they look,” said Mma Makutsi, in answer to Mma Ramotswe’s enquiry.

“I’m glad to hear that, Mma,” Mma Ramotswe said.

But then Mma Makutsi went on firmly, “Although that is a very important factor. You see, dishonest people look dishonest, Mma. There is never any question about that.”

“Well,” said Mma Ramotswe, “I’m not at all—”

“I never have any difficulty,” Mma Makutsi cut in. “There are many ways of telling, Mma. There is the way their eyes look, for instance—if they are too close together.”

Mma Ramotswe frowned. “I don’t think so, Mma. There are many—” She was not allowed to finish.

“Oh, make no mistake about it, Mma. If the eyes are close together, that person is going to be trouble. I’ve always said that, Mma. And the same goes for those whose eyes are too far apart—the same thing there. They will be up to no good.”

Mma Makutsi stared intently at Mma Ramotswe, the light flashing off her large round spectacles. It was as if she were challenging her employer to contradict a fundamental scientific truth. Mma Ramotswe said nothing at first; she was at this time discovering that Mma Makutsi in full flight was not to be interrupted lightly. But when no further assertions came, she very gently ventured a question as to where Mma Makutsi had learned to discern character in this way.

“Life experience,” said Mma Makutsi. “There are some things you cannot learn from books. You cannot be taught instinct.”

Mma Ramotswe absorbed this. “But surely you must be careful, Mma. People cannot help the way they look. A person who is good inside may look bad outside. I am sure there are many cases of that.

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