That old guy in the picture by Gustav Dore is the ancient mariner, grabbing the wedding guest, making him late for the wedding because he has a story he just has to tell.

And what a story it is! So compelling, so haunting, so eerie and sad that if I were the the wedding guest, I would gladly miss the wedding ceremony so I could hear him tell it. He’ll finish before the reception starts. That’s where you get to drink and dance and talk to pretty pretty girls. Who needs the church part?

You and I aren’t so compelled, but we have our stories too, and there are always people who want to hear them. The oldest request in the world is “Tell me a story.”

Here is where I tell some of mine.