Sandy Salton

My family has lost a great man - and although I never really got to know him, I feel like this story is worth sharing.

My husband's Grandfather, Sandy Salton, passed away yesterday afternoon after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease.  Before going to a nursing home, my husband told me that he, his father and grandfather often played a game called 500.  For those who don't know how to play, it's a 4 person card game that follows the rules of trump (ie if Hearts are trump, the Jack of Hearts is highest, Jack of Diamonds is second, then all hearts starting with the Ace are highest).  The 2s and 3s of the deck are set aside,10 cards are dealt to each person and 5 cards are put in the middle. (This game also had a Joker, which is the highest Trump)

My husband shared with me that the game was often one of strategy debate.  Did your partner play correctly?  Sometimes the hints one can drop when bidding, or laying a card first can be misread and this often sparked a debate amongst those playing.

I never played cards with Sandy, but I visited him in the nursing home a few times.  After I got engaged, my husband and I made a trip to the nursing home after a wedding shower, and I think a few times after that.  Each time, my husband excitedly wanted to show his grandfather the beautiful diamond engagement ring.  I would hold it up to him for a few moments and he would typically show an enthusiasm that was apparent despite his condition with limited speech and movement.  For reasons beyond just this - I could tell that he was a very special man.

Yesterday, after learning of his grandfather's passing, my husband wanted to teach me this game of 500 that he often played with his Grandfather, even though there was only 2 of us playing.  He said that he wanted me to know how to play so we could play it with his family this weekend.  We dealt the cards as if there were 4 people and as I was learning, my husband played the other 3 hands (trying to play as if he hadn't seen the other cards).

The cards were dealt after a practice round when I looked at my hand and realized that I needed to bid.  I thought I could take 9 of 10 tricks with the hand that I was dealt (10 is the highest you can bid).  My husband, obviously in disbelief of me being able to have such a good hand, decides I have won the bid and I took the opportunity to take the 5 cards in the middle to exchange for my cards.  At this point, I knew I had all 10 tricks, I laid down my hand and I had...

9 Diamonds and the Ace of Hearts.

Maybe I'm being silly, but I kind of feel like that meant something.  I asked my husband if I thought that his Grandfather could be with us at that very moment, and he said yes.  I explained to him that I felt he was because we were playing "his" game and that when we visited him - I always showed him my diamond.  This time he showed me his.