Chapter 1 Summary

The Tears of the Giraffe is an amusing book by Alexander McCall Smith about the lives of two people who become engaged in Gaborone, Botswana. Mma Ramotswe, the founder of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, agrees to marry Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, the proprietor of the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. This is the second time that he had proposed marriage to her. He does not believe his good fortune and worries that she changed her mind during the night. When he calls her in the morning, they agree to meet for lunch at the President Hotel to celebrate their engagement.

After hanging up, Mma Ramotswe wonders if he will take her to see his house. They will have to decide which house to live in. They have their celebration lunch and then go to see his house. Along the way, they decide...