The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine

Jo, nog kan man väl kalla böckerna om Mma Ramotswe för detektivromaner, men de har ju föga gemensamt med dagens deckare (eller kriminalromaner). Mma Ramotswe läser man inte för detektivhistorien, utan för allt det andra; persongalleriet, miljön, den botswanska kulturen, livsvisdomen och för McCall Smiths humor. Ett långsamhetens, förnöjsamhetens och altruismens lov. Jag tycker, som ni vet, att det här är helt underbart.

Det här är nummer 16 i serien och jag tycker nog att han har förnyat sig en lagom liten smula med denna bok. Jag kan inte riktigt sätta fingret på vad det är. Kanske att Mma Ramotswe uppvisar lite sämre (nåja, allt är ju relativt) sidor och att Grace Makutsi får visa upp lite bättre, vilket gör att de känns mer sammansatta.

Som sagt, Damernas Detektivbyrå läser man inte om man vill läsa en deckare, dem läser man för det här:

Life was not that simple, even if there were songs that made us think it was. But we could still sing them; we could still open the window of our van and sing them out into the passing air, unconcerned as to whether people would be puzzled, or amused perhaps, at the sight of a traditionally built lady in a small white van singing out at the top oft her voice for no discernible reason...

I am planning to become late in my bed said Mma Ramotswe. I shall be very old - I hope - and I shall be lying in my bed when they suddenly realise that I am late. Either that, or I shall be sitting under a tree and they will see that I have stopped moving. That is one of the best ways to become late, I think. You're sitting under a tree looking out at the cattle and suddenly - woosh - you go up.

Mma Ramotswe är fundersam över Mr J L B Matekonis vana att slänga sina kläder i en hög på golvet och dristar sig fråga om Mma Potokwanis man är likadan, varvid hon berättar följande historia:

'... Her husband left his clothes in a pile on the floor and then decided to put them on again. There was a scorpion hiding under the bath - you know how they like those dark places Mma.'
Mma Ramotswe winced. 'I think I can see what's coming.'
'Yes,' said Mma Potokwani. 'But he didn't. He got out of the bath, dried himself and then started to put on his clothes. He had his shirt on first and then he started to put on his pants, wich was where the scorpion was hiding.'
Ow, Mma! Ow!
'Yes Mma - I believe that is what he said'. Mma Potokwani wagged a finger for emphasis. 'A scorpion sting is very, very painful. It made him swell up, Mma - very badly'.
'That is very bad, Mma. One does not want men to swell up'.
'No'

Mma Ramotswe thought about what her friend had said. In most cases there is enough love to go round. Yes, it was true, as many unexpected things were true. It was easy to imagine the worst about people; it was easy to imagine that they would be selfish or unfeeling, or that they would abandon those who needed their love and their help. But that was not the way that people really were. Time and time again people showed better qualities than we might dare to hope for, somtimes against all expectation.


Boken ingår i utmaningen 3x3.