(And Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni was at that moment on the verge of an exceptionally important thought, even though its final shape had yet to reveal itself. How much easier it was for Mma Ramotswe-she put things so well, so succinctly, so profoundly, and appeared to do this with such little effort. It was very different if one was a mechanic, and therefore not used to telling people-in the nicest possible way, of course-how to run their lives. Then one had to think quite hard to find just the right words that would make people sit up and say, But that is very true, Rra! Or, especially if you were Mma Ramotswe, But surely that is well known!)