The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith

Author:Alexander McCall Smith [Smith, Alexander McCall]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Suspense, cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 9780349117256
Publisher: Anchor
Published: 2003-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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There was a sudden silence, and it seemed as if a cloud had 15

passed over the gathering. Mr J.L.B. Matekoni’s fork paused 16

where it was, half way to his mouth, and Mma Ramotswe’s knife 17

stopped cutting into a large piece of pumpkin. She looked up at 18

Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, who held her glance only for a moment 19

before he looked away.

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“Oh that,” said Mma Ramotswe. “That is all a mistake. Mr 21

J.L.B. Matekoni was going to do a parachute jump, but now 22

Charlie, the apprentice at the garage, has offered to do it instead.

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I have already spoken to Mma Potokwane about it and she is very 24

pleased with the new arrangements. She said that she was sure 25

that Mr J.L.B. Matekoni would want to give that young man a 26

chance, and I said I would ask him what he thought.”

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They all looked at Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, whose eyes had

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opened wide as Mma Ramotswe spoke.

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“Well?” said Mma Ramotswe, returning to her task of cutting 30

the pumpkin. “What would you like to do, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni?

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Would you like to give that boy a chance?”

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Mr J.L.B. Matekoni looked up at the ceiling. “I could do, I 2

suppose,” he said.

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“Good,” said Mma Ramotswe. “You are a very generous man.

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Charlie will be very pleased.”

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Mr J.L.B. Matekoni smiled. “It is nothing,” he said. “Nothing.”

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They continued with the meal. Mma Ramotswe noticed that

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Mr J.L.B. Matekoni appeared to be in a very good mood and 8

made several amusing remarks about the day’s events, including a 9

joke about a gearbox, which they all laughed at but which none of 10

them understood. Then, when the plates were cleared away and 11

the children were out of the room, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni left his 12

chair and, standing over Mma Ramotswe’s chair, he took her 13

hand and said, “You are a kind woman, Mma Ramotswe, and I am 14

very lucky to have found a lady like you. My life is a very happy 15

one now.”

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“And I am happy too,” said Mma Ramotswe. She was not

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going to be a widow after all, and she had managed to make it 18

seem as if it had been his decision. That was what men liked—

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she was sure of it—and why should men not be allowed to think 20

that they were getting what they liked, occasionally at least? She 21

saw no reason why not.

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