>>>It seems there are people who work as professional "facilitators": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facilitator
>>>
>>>According to the article, it seems one high-level skill they should possess is the ability to "stack a conversation". Not knowing what that means, I Googled and Binged it. I couldn't find any references that said anything other than repeating that it's a skill they should have.
>>
>>I've done that, for a while. I kept track of the return stack, so if the conversation diverts to a side topic, I'd remember to take it back to where we previously were. I'd usually say "return" when the subtopic was exhausted. In the end, I would be exhausted too, because it's kind of a mental pushup to keep the conversation history in your head while talking. So I gave up and learned to enjoy the meandering.
>>
>>(OK, this was a SWAG)
>
>I used to think that I was getting drunk, but your explanation made me realize that it was only cases of stack overflow. Thanks. Now how do I explain that to the police officer when he stops me in my car?

Carry a printout of this thread, and explain that you're practicing for a master's (or slave's? never know which is which) degree in conversation stacking, and that you've just overdone it today, so your aunt is carrying a large overpacked suitcase and there's a bunch of books ooz... ooops, return, so you're a blowing your stack a bit.