You're nobody 'til somebody kills you

One

Las Vegas, Nevada

Sunday, January 21, 1962

Dean Martin said, “Twenty-two, pay the lady!”

The crowd erupted into applause as Dino paid off the beautiful brunette, who probably wasn’t even legally old enough to gamble. That’s not my department, though. Once they’re in, they’re in.

Only Dino could get away with paying a gambler when they actually busted the hand. Immediately afterward he spread his hands and backed away, giving the regular dealer back his table. Then he walked over to me with a big grin on his handsome face.

“Eddie, my man! I came lookin’ for you.”

We shook hands warmly.

“Been a few months,” I said.

“Well, I’m back,” he said. “Actually, we’re back. Three of us, anyway.”

I knew that Frank, Dean and Sammy were booked into the Sands for one night, on the twenty-third. I had expected a call from one of them, but didn’t think Dean would come looking for me in my pit.

“Can you get off so we can have a drink?”

When it came to Frank, Dean or Sammy I could pretty much walk off the floor anytime I wanted to. My boss, Jack Entratter, — like the power to pay off on twenty-two.

“Just gotta get somebody to fill in,” I said. “How about we meet in the Silver Queen in ten minutes?”

Dean’s smile broadened. “I’ll be waitin’, pally.”

I got to the Silver Queen lounge in eight minutes. Dean was sitting at the bar talking to the bartender. Folks seated at the tables were pointing at him and talking excitedly to each other, but no one approached him. At the moment there was no one performing.

I approached the bar and Dean turned, gave me that famous smile again. He had a cigarette in one hand, and a partially finished drink in the other. Dean always had a drink and a cigarette on stage, but I knew the whole drink thing was a put-up job for the “Clydes” in the audience. In fact, I’d been on the set of Sergeants 3 the previous summer to shoot a couple of scenes the guys had cast me in for fun, and I never saw Dean drunk the whole time. Ruta Lee, the leading lady of the film, had been quoted saying the same thing. She also complained that the guys treated her like a little sister. Well, everybody but me. Ruta Lee was quite a dish.

But Dean’s smoking, that was for real. In fact, Dean, Frank and Sammy-who all made their living with their voices-were heavy smokers.

“Bourbon, Eddie?”

“You know it.” Now my drinking, that was for real, too.

He turned to the bartender, Lew, who nodded and gave me a wave. I took the seat next to Dean.

“Kind of odd for you to come in this early for a one-night show,” I said.

“I know,” he said. “Frank and Sammy will be in tomorrow. They want you to have dinner with us.”

“Be my pleasure.” Lew set my drink down. “I saw Sammy here a couple of months ago, and Joey last month. I haven’t seen Frank since Tahoe.”

“I remember,” he said. “Seems like we always come to you when we’re in trouble, Eddie.”

“What are friends for?”

“Well,” he said, “we should be your friends even when we’re not in trouble.”

“I’m invited to dinner tomorrow night, right?” I asked. “I don’t guess that’s because all three of you are in trouble.”

“No, it’s because all three of us like you, Eddie,” Dean said, “and we wouldn’t come to Vegas without seein’ you.”

“I appreciate that, Dean,” I said. “And I understand it.” I sipped my drink. “So, tomorrow that’s just for pleasure. Right?”

“Right.”

“And tonight’s for …”

“You’re a smart man, Eddie.”

“Sometimes I think so, too,” I said.

“It isn’t one of us who has a problem this time,” Dean said. “It’s a friend.”

“A good friend?”

“Yes.”

“A … girl?”

“It’s not what you think,” Dean said. “I’ve known this lady for a long time. She’s kind of … delicate. When she came to me with her problem I knew you were the man to help her. You know how to keep a low profile.”

“Yeah,” I said, “that’s something you guys aren’t so good at.”

Dean smiled.

“Never been high on any of our lists, I guess.”

“Okay,” I said, “so when do I meet the lady?”

“How’s tomorrow sound?” he asked. “We can take a ride to Tahoe in the morning.”

“Tahoe? Why there?”

“Vegas makes her nervous. She’s staying at the Cal Neva as Frank’s guest.”

“Is this somebody equally as high-profile as you guys?”

Dean raised his glass and asked, “Why ruin the surprise, pally?”