FISH OUT OF WATER

On Sunday I had the delightful experience of listening to Alaskan storyteller Brett Dillingham tell the tall tale of a pet fish that drowned.

With Alaskans suffering more than their share of tall stories from politicians who do one thing and say another, it was refreshing to enjoy a real fish out of water whopper. I found myself wondering which is tougher to fathom: a pet catfish who walks on a leash, or a US Senator who maintains innocence after conviction, despite his own recorded voice saying the worst he'd get for his misdeeds was "a little jail time."

Dillingham, who lives in Juneau, is an acclaimed storyteller working most recently with Performance Library. He's also the author of Raven Day, a book for young readers.