Things She Told Me: # 6

Mom could make snap decisions about certain people; their intentions, personalities, and style. I was always interested when she'd form impressions based on what she called, "the cut of their jib". An unusual strategy, I would ask her what she meant.  The cut of the jib, to Mom, was the specific angle of one's jaw and the shape of the mouth.

I must say, the few times she predicted  future behavior based on the appearance of a face, impressed me. Nevertheless, I thought it rather strange.In all cases, the predictions were in the negative; snippy behavior, selfishness, arrogance and the like.

As I recall, she told me she heard her own mother comment about the powerful predictive value of the cut of one's jib. At the oddest times, I'll remember her intuitions based on a quick look-see and tend to agree. The face tells all but unlike what my husband says, it may not all be about the eyes.

The phrase comes from maritime tradition. Interesting.

What would she think about the cut of this jib?