Care for a game of Jacks?

There is a standing joke that, with aging, our short-term memories bail, but our longtime memories remain intact.

Thus, I could tell you about my first day in school some 75 years ago, but I could not tell you what I had for breakfast today. With that in mind (such as it is) I will relate a recent episode in which I struggled for a day and a night to remember the name of a well-known celebrity.

All I could come up with is that the person’s nickname is Jack, so I proceeded to run through every Jack I knew, so to speak: Jack in the Box, the toy and the restaurant; Jack Frost; Jack and the Beanstalk; and Cracker Jack, as well as its spinoffs including jack tar and the saying, “Every man a Jack.” Any relation to a jacket? Probably not.

Somehow those led me to Union Jack, the de facto national flag of the UK, not to mention my Boy Scout memory (see, I told you) of having a jackknife. I remembered Jack Horner, who sat in a corner; a friend who had a Jack Russell Terrier; plus the Brit nickname for a cop or detective and then, of course, blackjack and Jack the Ripper.

And what about the saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Then there’s the nickname for money and prices being jacked up. Those led, somehow, to the jumping jacks exercise and Halloween Jack-o’-lanterns.

I wondered if I was ever going to get close enough to hit the jackpot.

Another saying came to mind regarding Jack Robinson, an English gentleman of the early 19th century named for split-second decisions to change his mind. Next up, the term jackeroo referring to a novice at an Australian sheep or cattle station. Oh dear, what about jackrabbit, jackass, jackstraw, jack cheese, jackboots and the Jack playing cards.

Still not getting the name I wanted. OK, what about beverages? Yukon Jack, Jack Daniels and apple jack brandy. Still not there, so how about lumberjacks, jack hammers, car jackers for flats and those who steal; or high jackers and being jacked around. Could Jack of all trades (but master of none) help? No.

Still not there. Let’s move on to some famous folks who might fill the bill: OK -- writers Jack London and Jack Kerouac, Jack Kennedy (U.S. President John F., for those who might not know history), and fictitious characters including Jack Sparrow, Jack Reacher, Jack Ryan and Jack Hodgins. Getting closer.

From years ago in Southern California, a fellow who called himself Cactus Jack and ran a Mexican food cafe, or Wacky Jack from an old TV series. Actors and others of that ilk! Yeah, that might do it, as my brain struggled to release the name I wanted:

Jack Elam, Jack Parr, Jack Palance, Jack Black, Jack Lemmon, Jackie Chan, Jackie Gleason, baseball great Jackie Robinson, Jack Benny, Jack Lord, Jack Klugman. And finally, the light came: John Joseph “Jack” Nicholson. Yay!

There are just some days when you don’t know Jack.