The collector: Gordon Jackson’s lifetime love of quirky words leads to lighthearted book

A longtime love affair with words prompted Gordon Jackson to collect them.

“This is lived out primarily in two ways: a collection of unusual signs (examples: ‘Entrance Only – Do Not Enter’ and ‘Use Extreme Caution When Flashing’) and quotations,” Jackson said. “I’ve compiled seven anthologies of quotations, on topics ranging from travel to paradoxes.”

Born and raised in South Africa, Jackson moved to the U.S. in 1975 to attend graduate school. While browsing the thrift bin in a bookstore, he saw a title that intrigued him – “Jail Keys Made Here.” The book was a collection of photos of quirky signs.

“I began photographing signs all over the place,” he said. “If I can possibly misinterpret a sign, I will. A sign outside a school in my neighborhood, for example, proclaimed a horrific upcoming event, a ‘Parent Bar-B-Cue.’ ”

Another that caught his eye is familiar to anyone who’s driven over Snoqualmie Pass – “Use Right Shoulder to Install Chains.”

Jackson shook his head.

“Have you ever tried doing that?”

Then there’s the sign that seems incredibly risky to obey: “No Parking on Railroad Tracks Except When Train is Coming.”

“Contradictions just catch my eye,” Jackson said. “Signs are interesting in that you have so little space to convey your message.”

Jackson knows a lot about messaging. He taught journalism and communication studies at Whitworth University from 1983 to 2015, all the while adding to his collection.

“Unfortunately, actually acquiring signs would involve me committing either misdemeanors or felonies, so all I have are the photos,” he said.

He turned those photos into a slide show called “The Alien Has Landed,” drawing on the fact that he grew up outside the U.S.

Most recently, Jackson’s love affair with words culminated in a book released in January, “Meet the Dog That Didn’t Sh*t: 101 Reflections on Words and Their Magic” (Black Rose Writing, 2022).

“The book’s title derives directly from my background in British English and an awkward misunderstanding,” Jackson said.

“It features 101 blog-like entries on all sorts of aspects of words and how people use them. I had more fun doing this book than any other book.”

Regarding the title, suffice it to say, deciphering Texas twang can be tricky when you’re from South Africa.

Arranged alphabetically, the book’s sections begin with “Acronyms” and conclude with “Yes, We Have a Word for That.” In between are chapters devoted to everything from euphemisms to pet peeves.

Jackson also pokes fun at political correctness. For example, a British employment agency refused to run an ad seeking “hardworking, reliable people.”

“They said it would put off lazy people,” he said.

He included the Seattle school that referred to Easter eggs as “spring spheres” to avoid offending children who don’t celebrate Easter.

In fact, his 2019 novel, “Never Say ‘Moist’ at Wyndover College,” highlights the absurdities of extreme political correctness.

But despite his dry wit and satirical humor, Jackson expressed concern at the ways social media has eroded language and conversation.

“I’m dismayed by what I see is an alarming trend,” he said. “I grew up in South Africa where political and moral censorship was a very big issue. All of us want some level of censorship; the question is where do we draw the line? As a society, we need to be working hard on what new boundaries we should have.”

In the meantime, Jackson will continue to add to his collection of words, whether silly or serious.

“Words can be fun, but they matter,” he said. “Like that Samuel Beckett quote, ‘Words are all we have.’ ”

Jackson can be contacted by email at gjackson@whitworth.edu.