Back at the mission, Jack awoke and looked around. Seeing the bag on the chair, he smiled to himself. He hobbled over and examined the contents and carried the bag to the washroom. He pulled the towel out, laying it on the stand next to the sink. He picked out the washcloth and ran some warm water over it. Fumbling with the bar of soap, he managed to get some lather going and quickly washed his face and dried it with the towel as he though about how to manage a shampoo. He uncapped the shampoo bottle as he filled the sink with warm, then plunged his head into it. Bending over the sink, he squeezed the liquid soap onto his hair and worked it into a lather with his right hand. Good thing he had short hair, it would require much effort and would dry quickly even without a blower. He dipped his head into the basin again and moved it around to rinse off the suds. He groped for the towel and vigorously rubbed his wet head, then took the comb and styled it instinctively in his usual fashion. He brushed his teeth with the toothbrush and small tube of paste he also found in the bag, then plugged the electric razor into the outlet above the sink and proceeded to shave his stubbly chin and cheeks. Pleased at the outcome of his efforts, he stared at his reflection in the sink mirror. His long rest must have had a therapeutic effect. The swelling and bruises were abating and he could almost open his swollen eye again. "Oh, you handsome thing. If you weren't me, I'd ask you for a date!" he thought to himself, then suddenly wondered, "Where the hell did that come from!"
He made his way out to the kitchen and saw Norma, busy with the meal preparation. "Anything I can do to help?" he asked. Norma looked up gaping at the transformation that just a few grooming procedures had done.
"Am I that hideous?" Jack pouted.
"No! No! You're…fabulous!" Norma gasped. She had to fight the urge to run over, throw her arms around him and kiss him passionately. She had to consider her relationship with her boyfriend, Chad, that she had been in for almost ten months "You don't have to do…anything, " she said quickly looking down at her work.
"I want to. I don't know who I am or if I can even pay you back you for the things you got for me. I could help you around here…you know…work it off…" Jack asked hopefully.
"Don't worry about it," Norma muttered not looking up, trying to keep herself distracted.
"But I do worry. Please, let me help."
Norma looked again into a pleading azure eye. Her heart melted. She tried to think of some simple tasks he could do.
"Okay," she relented, "You can start the water boiling in the urn for the coffee, then put the plates at the end of the counter. But don't over strain yourself. The doctor said you have to keep that arm immobilized for a week."
Jack smiled, happy to be of some use to his new friend.
"We should probably get some pictures of Jack, then split up," Will suggested. "I wish Karen was here," he lamented. "She could help us look." Karen was having a Caribbean Easter holiday with her husband, Stan, and wouldn't be back until the end of the month. Grace and Will returned to their building and Jack's apartment to get some of his photos.
Back at the mission, Jack was still trying to find ways to be helpful. He thought that at least he could distribute saltines with the soup being served. He grabbed a package of crackers and walked from table to table offering them to the hungry men. Norma sighed. She wished everyone could be as obliging as this bewildering man. She thought back on what the doctor had surmised – that he probably wasn't a drifter or a homeless person. In fact, he was probably quite well-to-do. His wardrobe spoke for itself – no bum would be wearing Armani slacks and Gucci loafers. And the fact that his hands weren't calloused by hard work indicated an easy life style. Yes, indeed, he was quite an enigma.
When Jack had finished distributing the saltines, he returned to the counter and stood by Norma as the both watched the patrons devouring the food. She broke the silence.
"I have to give you a name. I can't keep calling you 'sir' all the time. Let's see…what can I call you?" She looked at the package of crackers in his hand and then stared into his face. "Crackers…crackers…hmmm." Then with a sudden inspiration, "I know… 'Cracker…Jack!'"
With the verbalization of this epithet, Jack dropped his jaw. He staggered backwards from Norma and without a word quickly ran off to the sleeping area. Norma was taken aback at the reaction and followed him. When she entered the room, Jack was sitting on the cot staring at the floor.
"What is it, Jack?" she asked worriedly.
"I don't know…I don't know." Jack moaned uncomfortably. "Something about that name…"
"Are you remembering something?" Norma asked hopefully. "Could that actually be your name?"
"I wish I knew," Jack sighed shaking his head. "It was just so…so familiar."