"Years ago, I attended my brother's wedding in a small village in Southern France. Since there were no hotels in town, all guests were matched with French hosts. My hosts spoke no English and I spoke no French which made dinner conversation a challenge. Long stretches of awkward silences were compounded by the fact that French dinners can last 3-4 hours. There was, however, one saving grace...a fish shaped water pitcher that "gurgled." I found myself drinking more water than wine so I could fill the silent room with "gurgling" and unite the table with smiles." - Matt Ellison
