How to Analyze People on Sight

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Misdirected Mothering

A very unfortunate case came to our attention several years ago. In
Chicago a mother brought her eighteen-year-old son to us for vocational
counsel. "I am determined that James shall be a minister," she said. "My
whole happiness depends upon it. I have worked, slaved and sacrificed
ever since his father died that he might have the education for it. Now
I want you to tell James to be a minister."

We refused to take the case, explaining that our analyses didn't come to
order but had to fit the facts as we found them. She still insisted upon
the analysis. It revealed the fact that James was deficient mentally,
save in one thing. His capacity for observing was lightning-like in its
swiftness and microscopic in its completeness. And his capacity for
judging remote motives from immediate actions was uncannily accurate.

He was a human ferret, as had been proven many times during his boyhood.