This year’s theme was “Vegas, Baby.” So our story is a never-before-revealed true story (not) of how the Rat Back kept Santa from losing it all.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHow the Chairman of the Board Saved Christmas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let me tell you, young people, a story. I got lots of stories. But RIGHT now, I want to tell a story about the night in Vegas when Frank Sinatra saved Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was RIGHT there. 1958. Working as a dealer in the casino at the Sands. Back then, the Sands was RIGHT in the middle of everything. It\u2019s where the high-roller came, and the best entertainers in the world performed RIGHT there on the stage in the showroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That night, morning really, most everyone had LEFT. The Rat Pack, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Junior, and Frank Sinatra had performed a great show. I caught it from the service door LEFT of the stage. But RIGHT after it finished, most people LEFT, going to other casinos or back to their hotels. After grabbing drinks and some steaks in the restaurant, Sammy, Dean, and Frank decided to gamble. And that is when it happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My poker table was on the RIGHT side of the room. I was LEFT speechless when all three of my idols walked in, looked RIGHT, looked LEFT, and then sat\u2026 down at my table. After a few seconds, Dean asked, \u201cYou all RIGHT, kid? You look kind of pale, like you seen a ghost or some\u2019ting.\u201d Frank added, \u201cYah kid, your jaw is hanging down RIGHT on the table. Pull it closed and deal us a hand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And with that, I started dealing the most exciting evening of poker in my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three icons, sitting RIGHT in front of me, played for about an hour. A small crowd started gathering, and soon there was no room LEFT around my table. It was magical. I tell you, those guys sure could sing. But they were also funny as hell. The way they ribbed each other. It LEFT me in tears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About an hour in, things went from strange to surreal. A large tall man was pushing people to the LEFT and to the RIGHT as he made his way to the table. He had long white hair and a long white beard that covered his ample belly. He came up and sat RIGHT next to Sammy, on his LEFT. Sammy looked at his cards and then to his LEFT and said. \u201cHey, you. I promise I\u2019ve been nice this year. These other two, there is no nice LEFT in them. Definitely need to be on your naughty list.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The old man laughed and winked at all three men. I heard Dean say, as he sipped from his whiskey glass, \u201cSanta, how\u2019s tricks. Don\u2019t you have any gift wrapping LEFT to do? \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was Santa Clause. At my table, from LEFT to RIGHT, I had Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Junior, and RIGHT at the end, Santa Clause. Only in Vegas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I won\u2019t bore you with details. I\u2019ll just jump RIGHT to the end. They played poker for ninety-minute or so, and Santa was losing badly. When he had no chips LEFT, he bet the gold watch he kept in his RIGHT hip pocket. When he lost that he reached into the inside RIGHT pocket of jacket and put a piece of paper on the table, saying, \u201cThis is all I got LEFT, boys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Across the top of the paper, I could read \u201cDeed, North Pole Christmas Factory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sammy blinked and said, \u201cMan, Santa, Man, that ain\u2019t so cool. If one of us wins RIGHT now, what are we gonna do with the north pole? Dean here is too fat to fit in a chimney, and Frank is too stingy to hand out gifts. Man, take it RIGHT back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Santa shook his head. \u201cNo boys, I\u2019m betting the figurative farm. My hand is that good. I\u2019m LEFT with no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dean and Sammy folded, but Frank stayed in. Pushing his chips RIGHT into the middle of the table. \u201cOne card LEFT Santa.\u201d Frank said, \u201cAnd the fate of Christmas is decided. You win, you have enough money to buy a new, bigger sled for that fat ass of yours to fit into. You lose, and RIGHT here, RIGHT now, I become the big guy, and I run Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I dealt the last cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frank looked at his and winked RIGHT at me. I still remember that wink and his blue-blue eyes. He muttered a cuss word, hit Sammy in the back of the head, and tossed his cards in. \u201cI fold.\u201d He said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Santa took the chips and the deed and LEFT without a word. No ho ho ho. No jolly. He just LEFT. So did the Rat pack, slapping each other on the back and headed to their next adventure. Frank must have LEFT forty thousand dollars in chips in that pot. What a guy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When they were all gone, you know what I did? I flipped those cards RIGHT over.\u00a0 First Santa, on my RIGHT.\u00a0 Three duces and to the RIGHT of those an Ace and a King.\u00a0 Frank\u2019s hand? You are RIGHT to ask me what is in Frank\u2019s hand.\u00a0 RIGHT there in front of his chair, I saw all hearts, Ten- Jack-Queen-King and yes, Ace.\u00a0 He had folded with a royal flush and LEFT his money for Santa to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That night in Vegas, RIGHT there at the Sands Hotel. Frank Sinatra sang, he drank, he played poker, and he paid forty-thousand dollars to save Christmas. There are not a lot of people LEFT like Frank. Guys that have the world RIGHT there in their hands. And when they are LEFT with making a call about giving something up and doing what is RIGHT. They decide to do what is RIGHT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanks, Frank. Thank you for doing it your way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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