Lupe Zapata has always been a storyteller, fascinated by what makes people tick and, perhaps more importantly, what makes people connect. In college at the University of North Texas, he created a project called "Tell Me a Story" for his film documentary class. The idea was to get "random people to talk about love." Then, it became a "Valentine's tradition" for three years when he worked as a reporter for Big 2 News in Odessa, Texas.
For a time, Lupe was a self-described "journalist without a job." While living in Los Angeles—during the in-between days—he made ends meet by driving for Uber. "I worked as an Uber driver and invited my passengers to share a story as I drove them to their destination." But what continued to grab Lupe the most were stories about romance. So, he started recording these stories—with permission, of course—and turned it into a regular segment on his YouTube channel.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
In his second installment of "Uber Rider Stories," Lupe talks to Tasandra and James, two teachers from Georgia who started out as friends before falling in love. James openly shares that, just one day out of nowhere, it hit him. The two caught up over pizza as they often did, but when Tasandra was leaving, he thought, "Maybe this is more than a friend."
Tasandra attests, "The love just kinda filtered in over time." She adds, "He's unlike anybody I've ever been with, and I'm happy about that."
Years later, Lupe is still telling love stories. First, he became a human interest reporter and turned his self-produced videos into a hit Emmy-nominated segment called "Tell Me a Story, Texas with Lupe Zapata" for Spectrum News 1 in Dallas.
And now, he was able to revive the project this past Valentine's Day, exclusively for 25 News Now in his hometown of Victoria, Texas.
Lupe writes on Crossroads Today, "Have you ever seen a couple lovingly looking at one another and wondered about their story? For all you know, they could have the kind of love story that would make a Hollywood box-office hit." He ponders, "The homeless man on the corner, the woman serving you dinner at your favorite restaurant, or the couple holding hands as you pass them while grocery shopping—they all have stories, people they love, and people who love them. I believe it’s that commonality that connects us all."
And what better place to ask people about their love stories than the Texas Zoo? "I wanted a location that was unmistakably Victoria and was thrilled when The Texas Zoo’s Executive Director, William Baker, welcomed us to film with open arms."
The Zoo is also a great place for a date.
Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash
There, he heard stories from many local couples who were eager to share their meet-cutes. "I've found that if you give people the opportunity to sit down and share a story, they will," Lupe writes. "You may not be able to relate to a stranger's socioeconomic status, but ask them the last time someone made them feel loved, and BINGO—you now share a feeling you both understand."
The Bridegroom' Oak
The Groom's Oak
Freddie Mercury GIF by Queen
File:Statue of Freddie Mercury in Montreux 2005-07-15.jpg - Wikipedia
blue white and red paperPhoto by 
Itv Quiz GIF by Stellify Media
Kyra Sedgwick 
Kevin Bacon by David Shankbone
People tend to use bodies of water as dumping grounds.
Photo by 
