Creating (binding) a specific event and removing (unbinding) it only

namedKeyUpBinding.js

$(document).on("keyup.escKeyClosesModal", function(e) { ... });

namedKeyUpUnbinding.js

$(document).off("keyup.escKeyClosesModal");

regularKeyUpBinding.js

function letESCKeyCloseMyModal() {
    $(document).on("keyup", function(e) {
        if (e.keyCode === 27) { // ESC key
            closeMyModal();
        }
    });
}

regularKeyUpUnbinding.js

function closeMyModal() {
    $("#myModal").dialog("close"); // closes the modal
    $(document).off("keyup"); // removes ESC key bind
}