The Sticky Beak

I recalled this photo from my family archive when I saw Kat's selection for this week. That's me in front, looking frightened by the ghostly image of my sister peering at me from the other side. As I was three years old, I don't think I'd have been much help cleaning the window so I suspect my Dad and sister cooked this little scene up.

  
In the photo of the week, I agree with other contributors that the snoopy guy in the murky window is a Nosey Parker or has a "sticky beak" as the Australians say. He's probably neglecting his own job and as my mother, being quick with the cliche, used to say, he should "mind his own business."

On second thought, perhaps he is doing his job. It crossed my mind that he could be a lip reader, hard at work. Police and agencies like the CIA use lip readers even though they have a modest success rate and can be easily thrown off by an accent or a mustache. Note that if you're going to do covert work, (and you're not a ventriloquist, or Mary Matalin or have a pair of naturally immovable lips) one of the smarter moves you could make is to grow some facial hair. Or as demonstrated by the coppers here, make sure your back is to the window and the brim of your hat is low.

In my own case, I'm unable to raise much of a mustache, even though this was supposed to be one of the benefits of menopause...so I keep an anti-lip reader disguise at hand, ready at a moment's notice. Here in Fallbrook, you can't be too cautious....

Put on your own disguise of choice and help unravel the mysteries at