A popular expression of the time was, "before you could say Jack Robinson."

The bologna was gone before you could say Jack Robinson.

We were outside in the night-cold air before you could say Jack Robinson.

If that boat overturned you'd be dragged down in those skirts before you could say Jack Robinson."

They had all its leaves stripped off, and some of its branches torn off too, before you could say Jack Robinson.

I stared out the window, -wondering who -wouldn't want to leave the Congo before you could say Jack Robinson if they had half a chance.

LEAD: A 32-year-old man polled at random reports he has never said "before you could say Jack Robinson" and doubts that he ever will.

"Why," said he, "a magician could call up a lot of genies, and they would hash you up like nothing before you could say Jack Robinson.

--I'd get her off before you could say Jack Robinson, and thank you too, if she had fifty thousand down, or a thousand a year in land.

Before the war, that boy would have been around there and back before you could say Jack Robinson; now, the lazy rascal takes his time just like a white man."

But my sister, to whom he is married, proved a more attractive landlord and before you could say Jack Robinson he moved out from my place and into hers.

Scarlett knew that if she were just there in the swamp with them, she could tuck up her dress to her knees and take the rope and lasso the sow before you could say Jack Robinson.

I had considered putting Turtle's bed out there on the porch too, but Lou Ann said it wouldn't be safe, that someone might come along and slash the screen and kidnap her before you could say Jack Robinson.

Mr Beaver sat down quietly at the edge of the hole (he didn't seem to mind it being so chilly), looked hard into it, then suddenly shot in his paw, and before you could say Jack Robinson had whisked out a beautiful trout.

And before you could say Jack Robinson, Jack Leeds was installed at my parents' kitchen table, a grilled cheese sandwich and bowl of soup in front of him, Varena and my mother waiting on him hand and foot.

Even back then I knew some gentlemen in high places that could have helped me scrounge up the plane fare, and then before you could say Jack Robinson Crusoe I'd have been back in Bethlehem, sharing a shack with Mother and Adah with my tail between my legs.