Mom’s Corner: The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
For sure I am not a TV critic nor am I a person who loves sitcoms or soap operas. I usually watch a movie if one appeals to me. No killing, no psychopaths no blood and nothing gory. I enjoyed Monk for a while but them that became boring as each show was pretty much the same with his hypochondria being the most important theme.
I found a show by coincidence and I am hooked after seeing it twice… it is called The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and is set in Botswana. There is no acting! Each character seems real in every way. The lady detective is recently divorced and trying to decide how to support herself. She notices a lot of strange things going on and decides this town needs a good detective so why not her? She finds a cheap 2 room store on the main street and rents it. The first person to walk in is a very prim, thin, uptight woman who says that she is a secretary. “I graduated 1st in my class with 79% I want to be your secretary.” The detective answers, “I have no money to pay you.” “Don’t worry,” she answers, “I work for nothing until you make money. You can pay me then.” With that she walks into the other room and puts paper into the typewriter.
One of there first clients is a tearful woman who fears her husband, who is known to stray, has gone missing. She is crying and says “I just gave him a Rolex watch and now he leaves me for another women.” After much checking on where he can be and so forth she decides to go check around the woman’s house. There lying on the bank is a huge crocodile. Off she goes to get her rifle to try a few practice rounds with her secretary watching. Her father taught her to shoot and she proves herself a crack shot with the gun when she kills the crock with the first bullet. The secretary says “how can you tell if he is dead?” The detective responds “He is not moving is he?” Next she slits him open with her knife and puts her arm into his insides taking out all kind of funny things like a hammer a shoe etc. All of a sudden she reaches way in and takes out a Rolex watch. She calls the lady who comes to the office in tears. Oh you have found my husband she says. “No but I found the Rolex watch.” “Wonderful,” says the lady cheering up, “at least I have that.”
Her friends are a gay hairdresser who gives her many leads as he listens to the women getting their hair done. You know how we women are, we all tell our whole life stories to our hair dressers! The other is her auto mechanic who has a crush on her. A client comes in with a swollen face and says “I go to the dentist and everything is okay. The next time I go and he makes this big mess of my teeth.” So our #1 lady detective starts out to solve this case. She goes to the dentist and when he says he is going to pull a tooth she says no I just want a cleaning. The second time she goes he doesn’t recognize her and that gets her thinking. She finds he has a twin. One with a diploma the other without. The one without lives in the next town. She follows him home with her two friends dressed us as macho undercover detectives and has them lean against the car looking tough. When he answers the door he starts to turn her way and she says, “See those two men, they are detectives and if I call them you go to jail.” He is a drug dealer. He runs to his car and they chase him into another town where he is picked up by the police. They say “but we didn’t catch him.” She says “who cares let them deal with him.”
I may not have all the facts right but you get the idea. Please watch or TIVO and let me know what you think. Whoops, I forgot to mention the show is on HBO 2 on Friday nights at 9.
Enjoy, Robert’s Mom
Anne — April 28, 2009 @ 11:06 pm
I Love this show too!!! What a clever concept for such a beautiful and peaceful country like Botswana. It sets a whole new image in my brain about African people and their way of life which is way better than the media wants to convey. May I strongly suggest checking out hbo.com to read up on ‘behind the scenes’ of this great show. The two lead actresses are American! Who knew?
I had the great fortune of visiting Botswana fifteen years ago on Safari. It has two of the most beautiful wildlife areas in all of Africa, the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta. This HBO series will hopefully boost tourism which is vital to their economy.
Anne
Jean Dover — April 29, 2009 @ 5:15 pm
Dear Ann,
Thank you so much for giving me that great information. I will be thrilled to see what hbo.com teaches me as you suggested.
The Roberts also traveled to Africa a few years ago. I wish he would write about their trip there. It is funny, sad, and quite wonderful.
I am also happy you found the way to my stream or was it the thread. How they work is still a mystery to me.
Do you ride Dressage?
Love, Robert’s Mom
Jean Dover — April 30, 2009 @ 9:53 am
Dear Anne,
I followed your instructions but didn’t find the place where they say who the lady Americans are. Can you help me find them?
Thanks, Robert’s Mom
Bernie Hewitt — April 30, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
You should all read the books, by Alexander McCall-Smith, they are the essence of the films (the films were based on the books and are fabulous, but…) Believe me try the books, you will be enchanted x
Anne — April 30, 2009 @ 6:56 pm
Dear Jean,
http://www.hbo.com/no1ladiesdetectiveagency/
Try the above link to access the No. 1 L.D.A site. When you get there look at the top of the page and click on cast/characters to get the scoop on who is who and where they are all from.
In an earlier note you asked me if I was a Dressage rider. By profession I am an elementary school teacher, but just after 3:00 I transform into a Dressage fanatic, returning home to my own farm where I care for and train my own horses. I don’t show anymore, but I do teach several kids and adults here in Old Forge, NY, (Adirondack Mtns.). It is very rewarding to share my horses with the next generation of riders!
Good luck with the HBO link! Let me know if it worked out for you.
Anne
PS Please use your motherly clout and encourage Robert to share his African experience.
Jean Dover — April 30, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
Dear Bernie,
I will check out the library tomorrow and see if I can get his books.. I read all about Alexander McCall-Smith on HBO.Com.
At this point I can use a little enchantment.
I had a Pet Scan, A Bone Scan. A CT scan and Tuesday an MRI of my brain. It was in there and had no cancer. I am thrilled and don’t have to go back to see the Doctor until August.
So guess what I did today? Right. I went shopping with a dear girl friend. Oboma doesn’t have to worry about the economy we did our share. Of course that forced me to come home and clean my closet. I am exhausted but happy.
Thanks again. Love Robert’s tired out Mom
Jean Dover — May 2, 2009 @ 11:10 am
Dear Anne,
Thanks, I did as you suggested and got the right information about the two leading ladies being Americans. When I read their resumes I was amazed at the shows they have been in. They are very accomplished and surly deserve to be known by the masses who want to watch really great programing minus sex and destruction.
Being an elementary school teach is a high calling. The children are lucky to have a caring teacher like you.
It’s wonderful to have your own facility to go home to for a relaxing afternoon of horses. You are an inspiration to others who say they have no time to relax. Your riding students must enjoy learning from you.
I will mention to Robert that he should share his trip to Africa.
It is too bad it was before he had a website.
Now Anne would you be kind enough to help me with my grammar and so forth. I am never sure when to capitalize words like Him her, or teacher. Please just read what I have written and you will get the idea.
Robert is always getting after me about it. I have a slight Dyslexia which is no help.
Thanks in advance,
Love Robert’s Mom
Anne — May 3, 2009 @ 10:05 pm
Dear Jean,
As I review your last several letters, I see very few errors in grammar and capitalization. My virtual ‘red pen’ only picked out the acronym h.b.o. which you corrected in a later blog as H.B.O. Perhaps if I give you a question to ask yourself when writing, you can eliminate that part of the editing by getting it write the first time.
Is the word a specific person, place or thing? Mrs. Dover, Jean, Dover’s World, Publix, Mine That Bird and H.B.O are all names of specific one of kind ‘things’. Therefore, they are capitalized.
Words like mother, teacher, grocery store, racehorse, and school are not specific enough to warrant a capital unless they begin a sentence.
He, she, I, you, it, they, we, us, him, etc… are all pronouns. They are directed at specific ‘things’, but they are words that can be ‘worn’ by several ‘things’. Therefore, they need not be capitalized unless they begin the sentence.
Hopefully, this has been helpful! You write very well with organized thoughts that are presented in many complex sentences. Keep up the good work!
Love,
Your English teacher,
Mrs. Phinney (Anne)
Stacy — May 5, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
You should check out the books by James Patterson from the womans murder club series. 1-8! Thay are so fun to read.
love, stacy
Jean Dover — May 5, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
Dear Mrs. Phinney
May I call you Anne? Thanks for the information. I will print it out and put it up near my computer.
If you see anything glaringly wrong please send HELP!
Love,
Robert’s Mom
Jean Dover — May 5, 2009 @ 8:45 pm
Dear Stacy,
Several others have suggested I read the books. As soon as I have time I will find them
They started taking down our walls today. The first house I was going to stay in while the work was done had a plumbing leak and water was all over the floor. The owner is up North.
The second has mold and mildew and will be worked on as soon as ours is finished. Buggers.
Love,
Gram
Anne — May 6, 2009 @ 9:50 pm
Jean,
By all means, call me Anne! I was only wearing my teacher ‘hat’ when I was checking your wonderful writing! As for our favorite HBO show, I was hoping the tension between Precious and Matekoni could have held on a bit longer. But I see next week that her ex-husband is going to return. Should add another interesting facet to the show, don’t you think? We shall see.
Anne
Jean Dover — June 14, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
Dear Anne,
This information was in the paper today when folks asked what happened to their favorite show The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency.
The answer is only 7 episodes were made as that is the English way. HBO is in discussion with its partners on a second season. HBO has received a wealth of positive feedback, according to someone with the premium channel. This would enhance the chance we will see more of our favorite show. I am so happy and know you will be too.
Love Roberts Mom
Jean Dover — July 26, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
The Times they are a-changin’
Today for the first time I can remember I have saved coupons out of the Sunday supplement. It has always been my habit to give them to the ladies who come to clean or are caregivers. I have to admit that my spending got a little carried away after we returned from our exile to another villa for 7 weeks. You know how it is when you redo one thing another looks like it too needs to be renewed and on and on. A quick glance at my beleaguered check book last night convinced me to put on the skids and so when I was sorting the Sunday paper I put aside the coupon section and decided to see what was in there. I found, don’t laugh, Prune Juice. Wow I could save a dollar. Next I saw Ziploc bags. If I buy 2 I save another dollar. At this rate in the next millennium I will have recouped my misspent money. I even made a folder to save those coupons I don’t need now but may in the future. I am so proud of myself I drove to a specialty store and bought well, not necessities but goodies. OK I told myself I will start again tomorrow. It was raining and we couldn’t go shopping anyway.
Wish me luck.
Love,
Roberts Mom
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