Why I Don’t Trust People with Skinny Faces

CJ Southworth
Why I Don’t Trust People with Skinny Faces

I think it might be that jawline—
the sharp edge that actually delineates
the face from the neck,
so they become two separate areas,
one sometimes obscured by the shadow of the other.

Or it could be cheekbones,
something that, on my face,
is more of a rumor
than an actuality.

Cheekbones like that
give away the face
of a person
with the ability to say no
to that piece of cheesecake—
the first piece—
forget about even considering
the possibility of a second.

Cheekbones and jawlines
say this is the face of self-control,
a face of discipline and denial,
a face that probably didn’t even wince with hesitation
at a swirl of raspberry coulis
drawing elegant curves
over the top of that sliver of temptation
slicing across the landscape of the plate saying
I cannot be denied.

A person like that
has the kind of power
that is absolute,
and absolute power
corrupts absolutely,
so I will not trust that person
with that skinny face,
defined by severe edges
carved out by rigid denial.

Though I will eat his dessert,
since he doesn’t want it anyway.