Mr J L B Matekoni
Mr J L B Matekoni is, as far as I can recall, known by no other moniker by anyone, except the occasions he is referred to as Rra. I understand the "L" stands for "Livingstone", but the "J" and the "B" are two of life's mysteries. Mr J L B Matekoni is kind, generous, gentle, thoughtful, usually sensible, and, unlike all too many Batswana men, indeed, unlike all too many men in general, he would no more hit a woman than allow a customer's car with a single dirty spark plug leave his garage.
For Mr J L B Matekoni is the owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, the name of which denotes not that his employees can drive his clients' cars fast, as he has to advise one of his more out-of-control apprentices, nor, indeed, that they do their work speedily and shoddily, but that they do their work with speed and expertise. Mr J L B Matekoni is regarded by many, not least Mma Ramotswe, as Botswana's best mechanic.
One of the reasons Mr J L B Matekoni appeals to Mma Ramotswe is his love of tradition, and belief that things were done better in the old days, whatever they are. His views on these matters, at least, accord with Mma Ramotswe's. Except, that is, some of his more traditional views on proper roles for women. She does not welcome Mr J L B Matekoni's occasional efforts to limit the types of case she conducts, or the types of work she sometimes undertakes while conducting a case, or even, rather daringly on Mr J L B Matekoni's part I would have thought, undertaking work as a private detective at all.
Particularly problematic for Mr J L B Matekoni is the matter of Mma Ramotswe putting herself in the way of danger, this not being the act of a traditional lady, especially not one he is falling in love with (or should that be "with whom he is falling in love" and does anyone but a pedant really care? Sorry pedants, no, really, I am.). I refer to this as Mr J L B Matekoni's problem because as far as Mma Ramotswe is concerned, if he wants to be with her, then he has to get used to it.
One of Mr J L B Matekoni's key characteristics is his attitude which could be summarised as, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well". Except, I don't think that quite makes it. Perhaps this would be closer: "If it is being done, it must be done as well as humanly possible, if not more so".
For Mr J L B Matekoni is an extreme perfectionist. Consequently, he is constantly disappointed that his apprentices, like most other people, are not. It's not helped by the fact his apprentices are, like most other young men, more interested in girls, music, girls, dancing, girls, entertainment, girls, and, oh yes, girls. Quality, timely work simply doesn't register as being of any importance whatsoever. In fact, further, they simply don't understand why quick is not better.
Sadly, like most perfectionists, Mr J L B Matekoni doesn't understand much other than the drive to do his work perfectly, and simply can't relate to the young men, blaming changing society for their shortcomings, as though lazy, self-interested young men interested in little other than girls never existed in previous times. This characteristic is another Mr J L B Matekoni shares to a large degree with Mma Ramotswe.
But Mr J L B Matekoni is not just a perfectionist, whose fellows can often seem a bit inhuman and humourless, oh no. Mr J L B Matekoni may be a little humourless, but he is very far from inhuman. He can't bear to upset people, which is why, among other things, he can't sack his apprentices or his housekeeper (who is, not to put too fine a word on it, an extremely lazy strumpet, if I can use such an on the surface very sexist term, because that, after all, is what she is, and there's really no other word unless I use an even worse word, like slut).
He also can't say no to Mma Potokwane, the matron of the local orphanage. While her fruit cake is a direct path into his very soft heart, I'm sure he would give way to her schemes anyway.
Of course, it is this humanity of Mr J L B Matekoni's that is another characteristic which so interests Mma Ramotswe. But I'm not going to write any more about this. You'll just have to buy the books!
Oh, but I see there are still just a couple of things I haven't touched on, which may, just possibly, to anyone who's made it to the bottom of this page, be of interest.
Mr J L B Matekoni is, at the start of the books, in his early to mid-forties. He is a childless widower, with a lot of love in his heart. We never hear much about his first wife, or how she died, or even how long ago she died, except the implication that it was quite a long time ago, and may just possibly have been in childbirth.
By the time of the novels, Mr J L B Matekoni seems to have settled into life as a singleton, principally because he is so incredibly shy, with such a high degree of anxiety one wonders how he ever got married the first time, let alone how he broached the matter of sex, if I can be so direct on a matter to which Sandy never refers.
Sadly, Mr J L B Matekoni has, along with his anxiety, that other awful illness that so often accompanies it, depression. Sandy writes about this with a very high degree of sensitivity and understanding. The crippling and very often almost completely inexplicable nature of a long bout of depression, and the need for time and loving care to help recovery, sometimes with the help of drugs, is detailed extremely well, and very much illustrates my own experiences with this destructive, life-threatening condition.
I guess I have a little quibble, about this depression, however. The inexplicable onset is possible, but would usually indicate a history of depression. Otherwise one would perhaps expect the storyline to include some indication as to the cause or causes. Further, I would also expect some mention of it later in the books, especially the possibility that it might pop up again. And, even if it is a one-off dose of depression, such a sudden complete recovery I would have thought a bit unusual.
For Mr J L B Matekoni is the owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, the name of which denotes not that his employees can drive his clients' cars fast, as he has to advise one of his more out-of-control apprentices, nor, indeed, that they do their work speedily and shoddily, but that they do their work with speed and expertise. Mr J L B Matekoni is regarded by many, not least Mma Ramotswe, as Botswana's best mechanic.
One of the reasons Mr J L B Matekoni appeals to Mma Ramotswe is his love of tradition, and belief that things were done better in the old days, whatever they are. His views on these matters, at least, accord with Mma Ramotswe's. Except, that is, some of his more traditional views on proper roles for women. She does not welcome Mr J L B Matekoni's occasional efforts to limit the types of case she conducts, or the types of work she sometimes undertakes while conducting a case, or even, rather daringly on Mr J L B Matekoni's part I would have thought, undertaking work as a private detective at all.
Particularly problematic for Mr J L B Matekoni is the matter of Mma Ramotswe putting herself in the way of danger, this not being the act of a traditional lady, especially not one he is falling in love with (or should that be "with whom he is falling in love" and does anyone but a pedant really care? Sorry pedants, no, really, I am.). I refer to this as Mr J L B Matekoni's problem because as far as Mma Ramotswe is concerned, if he wants to be with her, then he has to get used to it.
One of Mr J L B Matekoni's key characteristics is his attitude which could be summarised as, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well". Except, I don't think that quite makes it. Perhaps this would be closer: "If it is being done, it must be done as well as humanly possible, if not more so".
For Mr J L B Matekoni is an extreme perfectionist. Consequently, he is constantly disappointed that his apprentices, like most other people, are not. It's not helped by the fact his apprentices are, like most other young men, more interested in girls, music, girls, dancing, girls, entertainment, girls, and, oh yes, girls. Quality, timely work simply doesn't register as being of any importance whatsoever. In fact, further, they simply don't understand why quick is not better.
Sadly, like most perfectionists, Mr J L B Matekoni doesn't understand much other than the drive to do his work perfectly, and simply can't relate to the young men, blaming changing society for their shortcomings, as though lazy, self-interested young men interested in little other than girls never existed in previous times. This characteristic is another Mr J L B Matekoni shares to a large degree with Mma Ramotswe.
But Mr J L B Matekoni is not just a perfectionist, whose fellows can often seem a bit inhuman and humourless, oh no. Mr J L B Matekoni may be a little humourless, but he is very far from inhuman. He can't bear to upset people, which is why, among other things, he can't sack his apprentices or his housekeeper (who is, not to put too fine a word on it, an extremely lazy strumpet, if I can use such an on the surface very sexist term, because that, after all, is what she is, and there's really no other word unless I use an even worse word, like slut).
He also can't say no to Mma Potokwane, the matron of the local orphanage. While her fruit cake is a direct path into his very soft heart, I'm sure he would give way to her schemes anyway.
Of course, it is this humanity of Mr J L B Matekoni's that is another characteristic which so interests Mma Ramotswe. But I'm not going to write any more about this. You'll just have to buy the books!
Oh, but I see there are still just a couple of things I haven't touched on, which may, just possibly, to anyone who's made it to the bottom of this page, be of interest.
Mr J L B Matekoni is, at the start of the books, in his early to mid-forties. He is a childless widower, with a lot of love in his heart. We never hear much about his first wife, or how she died, or even how long ago she died, except the implication that it was quite a long time ago, and may just possibly have been in childbirth.
By the time of the novels, Mr J L B Matekoni seems to have settled into life as a singleton, principally because he is so incredibly shy, with such a high degree of anxiety one wonders how he ever got married the first time, let alone how he broached the matter of sex, if I can be so direct on a matter to which Sandy never refers.
Sadly, Mr J L B Matekoni has, along with his anxiety, that other awful illness that so often accompanies it, depression. Sandy writes about this with a very high degree of sensitivity and understanding. The crippling and very often almost completely inexplicable nature of a long bout of depression, and the need for time and loving care to help recovery, sometimes with the help of drugs, is detailed extremely well, and very much illustrates my own experiences with this destructive, life-threatening condition.
I guess I have a little quibble, about this depression, however. The inexplicable onset is possible, but would usually indicate a history of depression. Otherwise one would perhaps expect the storyline to include some indication as to the cause or causes. Further, I would also expect some mention of it later in the books, especially the possibility that it might pop up again. And, even if it is a one-off dose of depression, such a sudden complete recovery I would have thought a bit unusual.
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